Just one day after struggling to find his shot in a Summer League game against the Warriors Gold Squad, VFL Ja’Kobi Gillespie put together an excellent bounce-back showing in the Spurs’ win over the Lakers on Monday night.
In the 88-84 win, Gillespie put up a team-high 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including going 5-of-9 from three-point range. He also racked up six assists, two steals, and one rebound in 31 minutes on the court.
19 PTS / 5 3PM / 6 AST
strong performance from Kobi to close out the California Classic
back in action later this week at NBA Summer League pic.twitter.com/ZfgeqApbxN
— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) July 7, 2026
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Gillespie has now played in three Summer League games with the Spurs during their run in the California Classic. Monday’s win over the Lakers was undoubtedly his best showing. Gillespie put up 10 points, eight assists, and three steals in his debut game against the Heat last Friday, and then recorded nine points and four assists against the Warriors Gold on Sunday.
Gillespie is one of three Volunteers on the Spurs’ Summer League roster. Zakai Zeigler did not play in Monday’s game due to a coach’s decision, while Igor Milicic Jr. put up two points in 13 minutes off the bench.
With the California Classic now over, Gillespie and the Spurs will head to Las Vegas for the NBA-wide Summer League showcase. He’ll continue to have an opportunity to impress the organization after being drafted in the second round this past June.
While he was at Tennessee for just one season, Gillespie made the most of his time as a Vol. He averaged 18.4 points, 5.4 assists and 2.8 rebounds on his way to earning All-SEC honors and leading Tennessee back to the Elite Eight for a third straight season.
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