Collin Gillespie lifts surprising Suns to clutch win

Against the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 1, Gillespie was unfazed to play against Luka Doncic and LeBron James, sinking eight threes on his way to a career-high 28 points. Oh, and he did it wearing a pair of Grinch-themed Kobe shoes.

What Gillespie provides is passing, combined with limited turnovers (1.8 per game). He also lets Booker play his natural position of shooting guard and saves him the wear of constant ball handling. Gillespie is no slouch on defense, with his 1.1 steals per game contributing to Phoenix being the NBA's top steals team.

Collin Gillespie shouldn't have gone under the radar

Gillespie was an excellent college player, but may not have been regarded as a pro prospect despite his success. He won a national title with the Wildcats as a freshman, won three Big East titles and won the Big East Player of the Year Award in both 2021 and 2022. But he's only 6-foot-1, lacks standout athletic skills and had an MCL injury in college.

That being said, Gillespie is quite strong for his size, and he's always been able to shoot. When a player can hold up on defense, knock down shots and take care of the ball, that's a player any NBA team can use.

The Suns might not have known what they had in Gillespie last season, but they do now. At a one-year minimum deal, he's one of the biggest bargains in the NBA and suddenly one of the Suns' most important players.

It's ironic. Phoenix loses two of the most famous and accomplished players in the NBA, but rebounds thanks to Allen and O'Neale, two players it tried to trade this summer, and Gillespie, a player who anyone who doesn't pay attention to Big East basketball may never have heard of.

It's quite a reversal from Phoenix, but so is its record. A few months after missing the playoffs with a star-studded roster, the unheralded Suns have this team in the midst of the Western Conference contenders.