The box score from Ja’Kobi Gillespie’s Summer League debut doesn’t lie. Three for 17 from the floor. Ten points. Not exactly the kind of stat line a second-round pick wants to hang his hat on.
But the Spurs aren’t panicking. And neither is Gillespie.
The 6-foot-1 guard out of Tennessee was the 42nd overall pick in last month’s draft, and his first game in a San Antonio jersey was an 88-87 loss to Miami. He shot poorly but still managed eight assists and four rebounds. Not bad for a guy still figuring out how fast everything moves at this level.
“It’s definitely an adjustment, for sure,” Gillespie said this week. “I mean, with more athletic, bigger guys. I’ve always been the smallest, so I honestly don’t feel like the smallest on the court anymore when I’m playing. But, yeah, it’s definitely an adjustment from college to NBA, for sure.”
He’s the only non-big the Spurs took in the 2026 draft, and that distinction matters. San Antonio has spent recent years stockpiling size. Gillespie offers something different: a point guard who can create off the dribble, run an offense and pressure the ball on defense.
Summer league coach Corliss Williamson saw enough to be encouraged.
“Definitely some good things there,” Williamson said. “I thought he handled the ball well, got us organized when we needed to get organized. He was able to get into the paint. He was able to get some open looks, create for the other guys. He’s definitely continuing to grow, continuing to learn, and we’re happy to have him.”
A Long Road to the League
Gillespie didn’t get here overnight. He played 130 college games across three programs — Belmont, Maryland and Tennessee — starting 105 of them. Averaged 15 points, 4.5 assists and 1.9 steals for his career. Shot nearly 46 percent from the field.
His senior year at Tennessee was his best. 18.4 points per game. 5.4 assists. First-team All-SEC. SEC Newcomer of the Year. A spot on the NCAA Midwest Region All-Tournament Team. The Vols made noise, and Gillespie was a big reason why.
Before that, he helped Maryland reach its first Sweet 16 in nine years. Before that, he was at Belmont, making the MVC All-Freshman Team and then the All-Defensive Team as a sophomore.
The guy knows how to win. But the NBA is a different animal.
“It’s super fast,” Gillespie said of the transition from draft night to summer league. “We’ve got to get settled in for a couple days before the training camp and get some workouts in with the coaches, so I think they helped us definitely get ready for it.”
More Eyes on Gillespie With Quaintance Out
The Spurs’ top pick this year was Jayden Quaintance, a 6-foot-9 forward who’s still recovering from knee surgery. That means Gillespie and fellow second-rounder Maliq Brown are getting extra reps and attention in Las Vegas.
Brown, the 44th pick, scored 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting in the loss to Miami. He hit two of his four 3-point attempts and grabbed three boards in 22 minutes. Not a bad debut for a 6-foot-9 post player who can stretch the floor.
Williamson addressed both of his second-rounders after the game.
“I think a lot of it is shaking off rust and maybe some jitters, finally making it to the NBA, you’re missing some of the chippy shots that you’re capable of making,” he said. “But, again, I thought Ja’Kobi played well for us. He did some good things there as far as trying to organize the team and then get us into spots and get us organized.”
For Gillespie, the path forward is clear. Keep getting comfortable. Keep making the simple play. And let the shooting percentage sort itself out. The Spurs aren’t asking him to be a star right now. They’re asking him to be a point guard.
So far, that part is working.
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