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

TL;DR

Ja'Kobi Gillespie, a former Maryland basketball player, impressed at the 2026 NBA Draft Combine with a standout performance, scoring 28 points in a game. He shot 65.8% across all drills, ranking in the top 35 in every category.

Key points

Ja'Kobi Gillespie scored 28 points at the NBA Draft Combine.
He shot 65.8% in shooting drills, ranking tenth overall.
Experts predict he will be drafted in the second round.

Mentioned in this story

NBA

Ja'Kobi GillespieNBA Draft Combine 2026Maryland Terrapins

CHICAGO, IL - MAY 13: Ja'Kobi Gillespie talks to the media after the game during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 13, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images 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.

Jakobi Gillespie is feeling it!

He finishes the first half with 24 points 👀 pic.twitter.com/2gPPrmxeZa

— NBA Draft (@NBADraft) May 13, 2026 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. Ja’Kobi Gillespie was in the top 35 of EVERY SINGLE CATEGORY at the NBA combine!😱😳😤

Somebody give this boy a chance! You won’t regret it!❤️@NBA pic.twitter.com/qZGYfbTrU6

— David Painter (@david\_painter28) May 13, 2026 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.