He injured his ankle just two minutes into his Valley Suns debut.
You might not have had high expectations for Collin Gillespie when you joined the Phoenix Suns this past offseason. With one year of experience with the Denver Nuggets and only 24 games played, he wasn’t in a position to make a meaningful impact on the roster. But as the preseason went along, you could see why James Jones brought him to Phoenix on a two-way contract: the Villanova point guard has grit.
Gillespie has a way about him. He is one of those players who knows how to find space on the floor, a key attribute for someone looking to make an impact in the league as a facilitator. In 5 preseason games, Gillespie averaged 9 points in 12.9 minutes played. That’s 25.1 points on the ‘ole per-36. He did so on 51.9% shooting and 42.9% from beyond the arc.
He had some of us wondering if he possessed Nash-esque qualities.
Collin Gillespie = baby Nash??
— Perry Sopinsky (@PerryBrackets) October 19, 2024
If he is the next Nash, we’ll have to wait and see.
Two minutes into his first appearance with the Valley Suns, Gillespie sprained his ankle. He had already put up 5 points when the injury occurred.
“He had MRIs today,” Valley Suns head coach John Little said yesterday. “We’ll get that information back soon. He’s a tough kid, he’ll be back soon.”
“Soon” now appears to mean at least four weeks, as MRI results revealed a fracture in his right ankle. This injury will keep him sidelined for an extended period, impacting both his recovery timeline and any immediate plans for his return. The fracture’s severity likely requires additional care and caution, making his absence a significant consideration for the team in the coming weeks.
The Suns announced Collin Gillespie has suffered a right ankle fracture and will be re-evaluated in 4 weeks
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) November 12, 2024
It’s unfortunate news, as Gillespie’s development was something I was genuinely looking forward to watching with the Valley Suns. While this injury doesn’t immediately affect the big league club, missing out on the consistent growth of a player of Gillespie’s caliber in the G-League could limit his potential impact when he’s eventually called up.
Get better, Sir Gillespie.