NBA
Collin Gillespie’s Rise From Undrafted to Essential
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All posts by Antonio KozlowUpdated19 minutes ago on December 01, 2025
Collin Gillespie has become one of the most surprising stories of the 2025-26 NBA season. Phoenix signed him to a one-year, $2.3 million deal in the offseason, a move that looked minor at the time. A quarter into the season, that contract has turned into one of the league’s biggest bargains. His energy and toughness fit the culture Mat Ishbia has pushed for, and the Suns have benefited from his presence in every game.
Gillespie is averaging a career-best 12.7 points, 5.0 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. He is shooting 43.9% from the field and an impressive 42.9% from three across 26.4 minutes. Because he leads Phoenix’s bench in scoring, he has become one of their most trusted role players. The Suns sit at 12-9, and his consistency has helped stabilize a roster that saw major changes last summer.
A Long Road From Injury to Impact
His journey has been far from easy. Gillespie went undrafted in 2022, then signed a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets. However, he fractured his leg during an offseason workout and missed the entire 2022-23 season. He watched Denver win its first championship from the sideline, then returned the next year and excelled in the G League. Even with that progress, the Nuggets still chose not to keep him.
That decision opened the door for Phoenix. Now, with continued growth, Gillespie has turned into exactly the type of guard people should stop doubting—especially guards from Villanova.
The Suns’ Perfect Timing
Phoenix needed a reliable creator off the bench after a summer filled with roster changes. Gillespie has delivered that and more. Each strong performance increases his value, but his current contract remains one of the league’s cleanest bargains. He will enter unrestricted free agency next summer, and the Suns will almost certainly explore ways to keep him.
If the season ended today, Phoenix would host Golden State in the play-in tournament. Few expected the Suns to sit seventh in the Western Conference, and although Devin Booker drives the team, Gillespie’s production has been a crucial part of their success.
Head coach Jordan Ott values him, his teammates trust him, and Suns fans have already embraced him. If his trajectory continues, his time in Phoenix may be only the beginning.
