The Fred VanVleet Award: Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee senior guard
Gillespie measured in at a hair under 6-feet at 5-11 3/4, which comes as no real shock to NBA teams. But then he dropped 28 points in the first scrimmage, totally outplaying the other small guard vying to be drafted: Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner.Tennessee’s offensive rating was 122.5 with Gillespie on the floor this season to only 93.6 with him off, the second-largest impact tied to any player in the country, according to CBB Analytics. The Draft Combine environment allowed him to show off those same qualities with his 3-point shooting, ability to break down a defense, and his knack for limiting turnovers.
Every year there’s a senior guard who goes in the second round — or even goes undrafted like VanVleet once did — and outperforms his slot. Gillespie has all the markers to be that guy this cycle.


