Ja'Kobi Gillespie builds on 'incredible first-half performance' at NBA Draft Combine

Ja’Kobi Gillespie’s first half on Wednesday ended in fitting fashion. The former Tennessee basketball took a pass near the top of the key, went left and pulled up from the 3-point line. 

The shot went in and the horn sounded immediately, the last of an eye-opening 24 points scored by Gillespie in the second game of 5-on-5 play at the NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. 

After entering the combine projected to be a second-round pick — ESPN’s new mock draft earlier this week had him at No. 60 overall, the final pick of the draft — Gillespie certainly turned some heads.

NBA Draft: June 23-24, Barclays Center, Brooklyn

Gillespie was one of six players listed by ESPN as a standout in the two games on Wednesday.

“Gillespie had an incredible first-half performance Wednesday,” ESPN’s Jeff Borzello wrote. “He had 24 first-half points, including multiple deep 3s over outstretched hands, while also creating space to get into the lane and score inside the arc. He measured in at under 6 feet earlier this week, which is a concern, but his shooting and playmaking ability could mitigate that.”

In 26 minutes off the bench on Wednesday, Gillespie finished with 28 points and went 10-for-17 from the field, 5-for-8 from the 3-point line and 3-for-5 at the foul line.

Gillespie started in Game 3 at the combine on Thursday, scoring 15 points to go with five rebounds and three assists in 28 minutes. He was 5-for-12 from the field, 3-for-8 from three and 2-for-5 at the foul line.

Gillespie’s height was measured at 5-11.75 at the combine. He weighed in at 181.8 pounds and had a wingspan of 6-4 and standing reach of 7-11.5.

He averaged 18.4 points, 5.4 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 34.8 minutes per game while starting all 37 games in his one and only season at Tennessee. The Greeneville, Tenn., native started his career with two seasons at Belmont, then transferred to Maryland before his homecoming with the Vols as a senior last season. 

“Gillespie stood out at three schools during his college career,” Borzello wrote, “spending his first two seasons as an ultra-efficient offensive player at Belmont before shooting better than 40% from 3 in one season at Maryland, then eventually averaging career highs in scoring (18.4 PPG) and assists (5.4 APG) at Tennessee this past season.”

Felix Okpara on Thursday at NBA Combine: 15 points, 7 rebounds

Felix Okpara, another player projected by ESPN to be picked late in the second round, was a standout in Game 4 on Wednesday, scoring 15 points and grabbing seven rebounds, including three offensive boards. Okpara in the first game on Tuesday had three points and three rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench. 

Okpara had the fourth-highest standing reach at the combine at 9-4. He was measured at 6-foot-10 without shoes, weighed 237.4 pounds and had a 7-2 wingspan. 

Okpara averaged 8.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 26.9 minutes per game this season, starting 34 of 35 games. He shot 59.7% from the field, 61.1% on 2-point shots and 63.5% at the foul line. He played two seasons at Ohio State before transferring to Tennessee and anchoring the Vols on defense, serving as the rim protector defensively and a rim runner on offense.