Collin Gillespie showed his worth during his years at Villanova. While it took some time to show at the next level, Villanova fans are not surprised that the point guard has found success in the NBA.
On Saturday, Gillespie cashed in on an incredible season. Shams Charania reported that the former Villanova great signed a four-year, $48 million contract to return to the Phoenix Suns.
Gillespie went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft before signing a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets. This allowed him to split time in the NBA and the G League affiliate. He did not make his debut in year one due to a leg injury.
Gillespie returned to Denver in 2023-24 on another two-way contract before signing the same deal with the Suns the next year. He would play in 57 games in those two years, averaging 4.7 points per game.
After returning on a one-year deal, Gillespie had a breakout season for the Suns in 2025-26. He set the franchise record for 3-pointers with 232. He played in 80 games, making 58 starts, averaging 12.7 points and 4.6 assists per game. He also averaged 1.2 steals while shooting 40.1% from 3-point range.
Gillespie played at Villanova for five years. He was a part of the National Championship team in 2018 as a freshmen and led the Wildcats back to the Final Four in his final season in 2022. Gillespie was a two-time Big East Player of the Year and three-time All-Conference selection. In his final year, Gillespie was a Third Team All-American after averaging 15.6 points and 3.2 assists while shooting 41.5% from 3-point range.
In total, Gillespie played in 156 games for Villanova and made 125 starts. He averaged 11.9 points during his career. Gillespie’s decorated career put him in line with the great guards that have played at Villanova.
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