Ja’Kobi Gillespie Crowned SEC Newcomer of the Year
Image: Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
By Aidan Sidoti
KNOXVILLE – Tennessee point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie was named SEC Newcomer of the Year by the Associated Press on Tuesday, adding another milestone to a breakout season in Knoxville.
The senior from Greenville (TN) has been the most consistent player for the Vols offense all year, averaging 18.0 points, 5.6 assists, and 2.1 steals across 31 games.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound guard arrived at Tennessee by way of Maryland, where he averaged 14.7 points and 4.8 assists, after beginning his collegiate career at Belmont. His steady rise through those two programs has transformed him into one of the SEC’s most dynamic two-way guards.
Gillespie wasn’t the only Vol recognized on Tuesday. Freshman forward Nate Ament earned a spot on the All‑SEC Second Team, with one of the more impressive freshmen seasons we’ve seen in the league. The Manassas (VA) native has missed the last two games with a right leg injury he reaggravated against Alabama, but his impact has been undeniable, averaging 17.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. Ament, a six-time SEC Freshman of the Week, has scored 20‑plus points 10 times this season and is widely projected as a top‑10 pick in June’s NBA Draft.
With awards season now behind them, the Vols turn their attention to postseason play. No. 5 seed Tennessee will face the winner of No. 12 Auburn and No. 13 Mississippi State on Thursday at approximately 3 p.m. Eastern on SEC Network as they begin their potential SEC Tournament run.
