MM 5.14: Maryland men’s basketball alum Ja’Kobi Gillespie balls out at NBA Draft Combine

While the freshmen at the top of the 2026 NBA Draft class are being touted as one of the best groups to grace basketball in a long time, several upperclassmen are flying under the radar with strong performances.

Former Terp Ja’Kobi Gillespie was one of those — until he announced himself to the scouts in attendance at the second combine game Wednesday with a 24-point first half.

The former Belmont, Maryland and Tennessee guard finished with 28 points on 11-of-17 shooting — including a 5-of-8 mark from deep — and added five assists and three steals over roughly 26 minutes of playing time.

Gillespie has had an exceptional combine. He shot a combined 65.8% across all shooting drills — the tenth-best mark among all players — and placed well in every type of test.

With just over a month remaining until the NBA Draft begins, Gillespie has time to continue to elevate his stock. At this point, several experts believe he’ll go somewhere in the second round.

In other news

Maryland men’s basketball will host Virginia on November 13.

Starting in 2027, the NCAA will adopt a two-semester season for men’s soccer, something for which Maryland head coach Sasho Cirovski has been a vocal advocate throughout his career. The season will begin in the fall and resume in the spring, with the championship games taking place near the end of the academic year.

Maryland football has extended an offer to class of 2029 running back Tyrese Jefferson.

Maryland football has also extended an offer to class of 2029 cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke Jr.