After two seasons at Belmont, Ja’Kobi Gillespie made the decision to put his name into the transfer portal on March 15 and unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long for his phone to start buzzing with interested college coaches all over the country. Alabama, Florida, Indiana, LSU, Kansas and Arkansas were among the double-digit schools to reach out as Gillespie began separating his suitors with the Jayhawks all over the portal guard.
“I didn’t let myself get too happy. I just wanted to pick a school that really wanted me and where I fit in,” Gillespie told IBG.
For Gillespie, going to a program with a clear point guard need was a priority. Enter Maryland. Tasked with finding a replacement for Jahmir Young, Maryland wasted no time on its top portal target as assistant Greg Manning Jr. and director of player personnel Ricky Harris spearheaded initial efforts.
“I just felt like Maryland wanted me more and I could play more at Maryland,” Gillespie added about the Terps’ pursuit. Maryland also leaned on a personal connection to get themselves quickly into the mix. “My AAU coach played with Ricky Harris when they were younger,” Gillespie said, referring to former Tennessee star and Suitland native, Bobby Maze.
The sincere interest and immediate pursuit materialized into a virtual visit for Gillespie last week before making his way to College Park for a 24-hour visit, beginning Friday, March 22. After touring the facilities and campus, Gillespie and his family walked inside the Xfinity Center on Saturday where they were then introduced to Julian Reese. “I talked to him. He was working out when I was going in there to look at the gym,” he added.
While Reese’s decision wasn’t finalized over the weekend, the star big man was an integral piece in Maryland’s pitch as the supporting cast around Ja’Kobi Gillespie was a focal part of the message. “Them saying I would have a big role at point guard and they’ve got two really good bigs coming in. We have two unselfish big men and I’m very unselfish myself so I think we can all play together. And we’ve got a good team coming back,” Gillespie said about what stuck out about the Terps’ pitch.
While Gillespie averaged over four assists per game as a sophomore, it was his scoring that turned heads through the season—and what caught Maryland’s eye. The Tennessee native shot over 66% from two and nearly 39% from three as a sophomore, but his efficiency in the pick-and-roll is where he’s arguably most efficient. With Julian Reese back and Derik Queen enrolling this summer, Willard turned on the tape to show how Gillespie can replicate what Jahmir Young did over the last two seasons in College Park.
“He definitely showed some of the spots Jahmir was in, showed me how he thinks how I can excel in those same spots.”
But given the success that both Marcus Domask and Ben Krikke enjoyed at Illinois and Iowa this season, there was another intriguing aspect for Ja’Kobi Gillespie about a potential move to the Big Ten.
“Two other guards from the Missouri Valley went to the Big Ten and did really good so I feel like that played a part in it, but also I really just loved Maryland. I really loved it down there.”
Maryland began trending as Gillespie’s top school coming out of the weekend, but the original plan was to check out other potential suitors before committing. The Terps, though, worked to close the deal before Gillespie realized the opportunity in front of him in College Park.
“I was kind of in both, wanting to take more visits but knowing that spot was really good for me so I just decided.”
After a disappointing year two for Kevin Willard, the past week has provided the needed jolt of optimism for year three after the week kicked off with a commitment from Rodney Rice. Still, the need for a starting point guard remained a top priority, but the staff never wavered on their top target before finalizing Gillespie’s recruitment earlier in the week. Gillespie gave the staff his commitment on Tuesday before going public on Wednesday, ironically one hour after Julian Reese finalized his decision to return to Maryland for his senior year.
“We have a really good team for next year. We’re still looking for one more player but I feel like we’ve got a lot of good, connected pieces,” Gillespie said about shutting down his recruitment.
“Just how connected they were as a team. They all felt really close. Also the coaches just seemed very well connected and they really wanted me. I feel like we can build a great relationship. I really like [Kevin] Willard and all the coaches. We’ve got a good team coming back.”
Ja’Kobi Gillespie is expected to enroll in College Park in June and has two years of eligibility remaining.
Related Links
The start of the QB battle is underway for Maryland
Five-star visitor in College Park (+)
Where Maryland basketball stands after return of Julian Reese, two portal commits
