Former Tennessee Basketball Star Dominates the Utah Jazz in Preseason NBA Game

Former Tennessee basketball star Ja'Kobi Gillespie opens the eyes of many in a preseason game on Monday.

Oct 12, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie (17) dribbles during the first half against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Tennessee Volunteers have the chance to be represented at a high-level when it comes to the NBA this season. Many of their former basketball players are set to play at the highest level of basketball, including some players who are set to make their career debut later this month.

As of now, the NBA is currently in its preseason, meaning every statistic, victory, and defeat doesn't count towards the regular season, or the upcoming season as a whole, as this is something that will begin on October 20th, which is the first day that the NBA will host regular season games.

Ja'Kobi Gillespie Balls Out on Monday

Former Tennessee basketball player Ja'Kobi Gillespie during a Tennessee football game against Furman at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sept. 5, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Despite it being preseason, a former Tennessee basketball star is already making headlines with his new team in the NBA. That player is guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie, who was selected in the second round of the NBA Draft and is expected to be a star player for the San Antonio Spurs when he is given a chance to succeed.

He showed this on Monday night, when he and his team played against the Utah Jazz. In this game against the Jazz, the former Vol basketball star finished the contest with a total of 25 points. In fact, he led the entire team and had the most points of anyone who played on that court. He also finished the game with three assists.

Oct 8, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie (17) during a game against the Atlanta Hawks at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This performance was even more impressive, as he did this off the bench and only played 25 minutes, which means that he averaged a point per minute.

Even though this performance wasn't enough for the Spurs to win, but what this should show the program is that the former Tennessee basketball star should be someone who earns reps throughout the season and should be played. He is a dangerous shooter and is someone that many can expect to dominate when it comes to working with the ball in his hands.

The Spurs will begin their actual season with a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on opening night. At this time, it remains unknown whether he will actually play or what his role with the team will look like, but once he is given a chance to succeed, one could expect him to do so.

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