Maryland guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie is entering the transfer portal following a season in which he finished second on the team with 14.7 points per game while leading the Terrapins with 4.8 assists and 1.9 steals per contest.
The third-team All-Big Ten performer is on the move for the second time in two years after transferring to College Park from Belmont a year ago. Here are five potential landing spots for the Greeneville, Tenn., native.
Top Five Transfer Portal Landing Spots for Maryland Guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie
Tennessee
Gillespie is heavily favored to return to his home state and play for coach Rick Barnes and the Volunteers in the SEC next season. Before transferring to Maryland, Gillespie starred at Belmont University in Nashville for two years, earning all Missouri Valley Conference honors as a sophomore.
Barnes needs to replace standout guard Zakai Ziegler and rebuild his roster, as Tennessee only has four returning scholarship players.
Villanova
Kevin Willard bolted for Philadelphia to replace the recently fired Kyle Neptune at Villanova. If he can overcome the awkward circumstances that preceded his move, Willard would love to persuade Gillespie to move up north into the Big East Conference. The Wildcats went 19-14 and just missed the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season.
Florida
The 34-4 Gators are back in the Final Four for the first time in 11 years under coach Todd Golden, who has a big hole to fill with the loss of first-team All-American Walter Clayton Jr. Gillespie would be called upon to come and fill the senior’s production, which includes 18.1 points and 4.2 assists per game this season.
Oklahoma
Another potential landing spot in the SEC, Gillespie counted the Sooners among the schools interested in his services when he transferred from Belmont last year.
Jeremiah Fears led Oklahoma in scoring as a freshman, and Gillespie could boost coach Porter Moser’s stable of perimeter threats. Moser’s team made the NCAA Tournament despite going 6-12 in conference play.
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Virginia
The Cavaliers just hired a new coach, Ryan Odom, from VCU. Odom led the Rams to the NCAA Tournament, the third different program he’s led to the Big Dance. He now comes to Charlottesville after the 15-17 debacle the Cavaliers endured after coach Tony Bennett’s shocking retirement ahead of the season.
Leading scorer Isaac McKneely has entered the portal. He may choose to return following Odom’s hiring, but if not, Gillespie could replace his production in the starting lineup.
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