Collin Gillespie is ‘trying to be a sponge’ and show he’s an NBA player at the draft combine

CHICAGO — Collin Gillespie drilled a catch-and-shoot three-pointer less than a minute into the second half of Thursday afternoon’s scrimmage at Wintrust Arena. Then the former Villanova star shook free for a driving layup.

Gillespie brought a glimpse of what made him a wildly decorated college player to a new stage at the NBA draft combine. During his week in Chicago, Gillespie said he focused on “trying to be a sponge” by picking up tips on everything from NBA sets and terminology to how to approach each day as a professional. And he hopes the in-person workouts and meetings with NBA personnel helped illustrate that he deserves to be selected next month.

“I’m just having fun with it, trying to enjoy each day,” Gillespie told The Inquirer after Thursday’s scrimmage. “I’ve dreamt about this, so [I’m] just taking it all in.”

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Gillespie is regarded as a borderline second-round pick, making in-person events such as the combine critical for raising his stock. He was disappointed with his 2-of-12 shooting performance during Thursday’s scrimmage, which he said was his first five-on-five action since the Wildcats’ Final Four loss to Kansas in early April. He did, however, total five assists as his team’s primary ballhandler and four rebounds in 27 minutes. During Friday’s scrimmage, he went 1-of-7 from the floor (1-of-6 from beyond the arc) but compiled 10 assists, five rebounds and two steals in 33 minutes.

He also finished fifth out of the 50 players who tested in the shuttle run (3.01 seconds), impressed with his long-range shooting during Wednesday’s drills, and hoped to show teams that he could make reads out of the pick and roll and guard multiple positions.

Gillespie was the ideal floor general during an illustrious Villanova career, which concluded with him winning the Bob Cousy Award for the nation’s best point guard and being named Big East Player of the Year. Known for his toughness and blend of scoring at all levels, savvy playmaking, and defensive instincts, Gillespie averaged 15.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 41.5% from three-point range and 90.5% from the free-throw line as a fifth-year senior. That final season also marked a successful comeback from a torn knee ligament that kept him out of the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

Yet Gillespie’s age (23) and limited athleticism are among the reasons why he is not projected as a lock to be drafted.

Since the Final Four, Gillespie has trained in Miami. He worked on adjusting to the speed and space of the NBA game, which he said allows for more driving lanes because defenses do not pack the paint and help as frequently. He rounded out his offensive repertoire by sharpening his short game around the rim with finishes and floaters. Legendary Villanova coach Jay Wright abruptly retired during that period, which left Gillespie “really surprised.”

“I didn’t know about it,” Gillespie said. “I found out the same way that everybody else did, so that definitely threw me for a loop. But I’m happy for him.”

While in Chicago, Gillespie said he met with the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns, who currently have former Villanova star and 2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of the Year runner-up Mikal Bridges on the roster. From the combine, Gillespie will go straight to a workout in Boston, then to Minnesota, then to Los Angeles for a week.

“It’s going to be a grind,” Gillespie said. “I’ll be on the road a lot, and I’m looking forward to it.”

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When asked if he has any sense of where his draft potential stands, Gillespie said, “I have no idea. I couldn’t even tell you.” Yet he sees a path he can mirror in Payton Pritchard, who has carved out a rotation role with a Boston Celtics team playing in the Eastern Conference finals. Gillespie also came up behind Jalen Brunson, who went from second-round pick to a standout for the Dallas Mavericks still playing in the Western Conference finals and will command a hefty payday as a free agent this summer.

And now as an underdog prospect, Gillespie will carry the competitiveness he gained at Villanova throughout the rest of the predraft process.

“That’s kind of what separates Villanova guys,” Gillespie said. “They compete and play hard on every possession, and they’re never gonna take a play off. That’s something that will never leave me.”