Photo by: Baylor Photography
DREAM BIG, PLAY BIGGER
2/15/2020 12:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball
From Division III Bench to Potential NBA Draft Pick
By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation
Freddie Gillespie's story is like a made-for-TV reality show . . . except for the fact that it seems too good to believe.
A late bloomer who didn't even play basketball until eighth grade, Gillespie's high school basketball career was cut short by ankle injuries, a torn ACL and a fractured foot. As a freshman at Division III Carleton College in Northfield, Minn., he played a total of 16 minutes.
"That first year (at Carleton) was tough, because I definitely knew I should be in the rotation," he said. "I had the athleticism and the size. There was no one else who could match me in those two aspects. But, for me, I didn't really have a moment where I was like, 'Let me give up.' I was just really dejected and kind of disappointed. That was probably the biggest thing."
It was during his sophomore season at Carleton that the 6-foot-9 forward was watching a North Carolina basketball game on television, and hearing the announcers "talking about the length of their guys . . . the verticals and athleticism and different weights and stuff," he said. Led by 6-7 forward Justin Jackson, that was a North Carolina team that went on to win the 2017 NCAA national championship.
"I had all those tools, so why not?"
Still relatively new to the game, Gillespie averaged 10.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.6 blocks as a sophomore, earning second-team all-conference and All-MIAC Defensive Team honors.
But at least in his eyes, there had to be more out there.
Through a family friend, Freddie got in contact with Al Nuness, a longtime high school coach in Minnesota and former player and assistant coach at the University of Minnesota. He's also the father of Jared Nuness, Baylor basketball's special assistant and director of player development.
"It wasn't like, 'How can my son get to Baylor?''' Freddie said. "He's a guy that's been around basketball forever, so it was more like, 'How would a guy go about trying to go from DIII to DI? Is that even possible?' So, he just kind of gave us some options."
Already in the area to recruit a five-star recruit out of Apple Valley, Minn., Baylor coach Scott Drew made a side trip over to St. Paul to check out this potential walk-on as a Division III transfer.
"Usually, the way it works, is if they're a 6-9 or 6-10 walk-on and they can walk and chew game, you're like, 'Yeah,''' Drew said.
"I think as a coach, when someone asks, you get a little curious," Gillespie said. "So, he came and gave me a look and asked me about my character, my sports history, playing football in high school, just a bunch of different things. And then, he told me about Baylor and said, 'How about if we bring you down for a visit, just see the campus and see how this relationship could work out.'''
Nothing was promised, though. Gillespie was coming as a walk-on and had to pay his way that first year at Baylor, with nothing guaranteed about getting any aid the following year. Transferring to a Division I school, he had to sit out the 2017-18 season as a redshirt.
"Some guys redshirt knowing they'll be playing eventually. But for me, nothing was set in stone," he said. "I'm trying to earn a spot on this team first. So, being in that limbo and trying to prove yourself was tough."
As good as that redshirt year was in terms of development and just getting his feet on the ground, it was also humbling at times going against big men like Jo Lual-Acuil, TJ Maston, Nuni Omot and even Johnathan Motley, a second-team All-American in 2017 who would come back to get ready for the NBA.
"There were a lot (of humbling moments)," Gillespie said. "TJ would put me in the spin cycle every practice. Even Mark (Vital) dunked on me a couple times. I think all those guys dunked on me several times, a couple times a day, actually. They were relentless."
His favorite Baylor memory, at least to date, came at the end of that year when he got called into the coach's office.
Sitting across from him, Drew told Freddie, "When you first got here, you said you wanted to help this team get to a Final Four. We want you to be a part of that journey, because we have the same goal. We want to cover your next two years here at Baylor."
"It was nice, because that kind of cemented the hard work," Freddie said. "As a coach, you have to give scholarships to guys that you hope can contribute. So, the fact that he thought that, I feel like it was earned."
Through the first half of the regular season last year, he was basically getting walk-on minutes, actually riding the bench (eight) in more games than he played (six).
But, when 6-10 forward Tristan Clark suffered a season-ending knee injury two games into conference play, it opened the door for Gillespie. Starting nine of the last 12 games, he scored in double figures four times and averaged 5.3 points and 4.4 rebounds.
"Coaches always love guys who work hard," Drew said. "His first year out, Freddie was the hardest-working guy on the team. He's continued to work hard his whole time here. As a coach, you're always happy and pleased when guys that put in the time and do it the right way are successful."
Watching guys of similar size and skill sets, like Dedric Lawson of Kansas and Dean Wade of Kansas State, Gillespie saw their approach and found things he could take from their games. And it was those things that "helped me take those next steps this year," he said.
Gillespie hasn't just taken another stop, it's been more like a huge leap.
The same guy that couldn't get on the floor four years ago at a Division III school is considered a strong All-Big 12 candidate and potential NBA Draft pick, averaging 9.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks for a surprising Baylor team (22-1, 11-0) that's ranked No. 1 in the country for the fourth-straight week.
NBA Draft Room, which projects Gillespie to go in the 2nd round to the Oklahoma City Thunder, said he has "raised his game to a new level this year and shows some NBA attributes, rebounding and blocking shots."
Freddie, who graduated in August with a degree in political science, said he eventually wants to work in investment banking or with the state department. But now, playing professional "is a little more within my reach."
"The thing about sports that's a little different from other professions is you only have a small window you can play," he said. "For me, I want to play basketball for as long as I can. And to be a professional is the reason I came to Baylor. One thing that was great about this is that I got to do the academic side at a really esteemed academic institution to do what I want to do after basketball. But also, we have an esteemed athletic program here in a lot of sports. They helped me achieve both of those goals."
Baylor hosts 14th-ranked West Virginia (18-6, 6-5) at 3 p.m. Saturday in a top-25 matchup at the Ferrell Center. The Mountaineers let a nine-point second-half lead slip away in falling at home to No. 3 Kansas, 58-49, on Wednesday.
Baylor Bear Foundation
Freddie Gillespie's story is like a made-for-TV reality show . . . except for the fact that it seems too good to believe.
A late bloomer who didn't even play basketball until eighth grade, Gillespie's high school basketball career was cut short by ankle injuries, a torn ACL and a fractured foot. As a freshman at Division III Carleton College in Northfield, Minn., he played a total of 16 minutes.
"That first year (at Carleton) was tough, because I definitely knew I should be in the rotation," he said. "I had the athleticism and the size. There was no one else who could match me in those two aspects. But, for me, I didn't really have a moment where I was like, 'Let me give up.' I was just really dejected and kind of disappointed. That was probably the biggest thing."
It was during his sophomore season at Carleton that the 6-foot-9 forward was watching a North Carolina basketball game on television, and hearing the announcers "talking about the length of their guys . . . the verticals and athleticism and different weights and stuff," he said. Led by 6-7 forward Justin Jackson, that was a North Carolina team that went on to win the 2017 NCAA national championship.
"I had all those tools, so why not?"
Still relatively new to the game, Gillespie averaged 10.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.6 blocks as a sophomore, earning second-team all-conference and All-MIAC Defensive Team honors.
But at least in his eyes, there had to be more out there.
Through a family friend, Freddie got in contact with Al Nuness, a longtime high school coach in Minnesota and former player and assistant coach at the University of Minnesota. He's also the father of Jared Nuness, Baylor basketball's special assistant and director of player development.
"It wasn't like, 'How can my son get to Baylor?''' Freddie said. "He's a guy that's been around basketball forever, so it was more like, 'How would a guy go about trying to go from DIII to DI? Is that even possible?' So, he just kind of gave us some options."
Already in the area to recruit a five-star recruit out of Apple Valley, Minn., Baylor coach Scott Drew made a side trip over to St. Paul to check out this potential walk-on as a Division III transfer.
"Usually, the way it works, is if they're a 6-9 or 6-10 walk-on and they can walk and chew game, you're like, 'Yeah,''' Drew said.
"I think as a coach, when someone asks, you get a little curious," Gillespie said. "So, he came and gave me a look and asked me about my character, my sports history, playing football in high school, just a bunch of different things. And then, he told me about Baylor and said, 'How about if we bring you down for a visit, just see the campus and see how this relationship could work out.'''
Nothing was promised, though. Gillespie was coming as a walk-on and had to pay his way that first year at Baylor, with nothing guaranteed about getting any aid the following year. Transferring to a Division I school, he had to sit out the 2017-18 season as a redshirt.
"Some guys redshirt knowing they'll be playing eventually. But for me, nothing was set in stone," he said. "I'm trying to earn a spot on this team first. So, being in that limbo and trying to prove yourself was tough."
As good as that redshirt year was in terms of development and just getting his feet on the ground, it was also humbling at times going against big men like Jo Lual-Acuil, TJ Maston, Nuni Omot and even Johnathan Motley, a second-team All-American in 2017 who would come back to get ready for the NBA.
"There were a lot (of humbling moments)," Gillespie said. "TJ would put me in the spin cycle every practice. Even Mark (Vital) dunked on me a couple times. I think all those guys dunked on me several times, a couple times a day, actually. They were relentless."
His favorite Baylor memory, at least to date, came at the end of that year when he got called into the coach's office.
Sitting across from him, Drew told Freddie, "When you first got here, you said you wanted to help this team get to a Final Four. We want you to be a part of that journey, because we have the same goal. We want to cover your next two years here at Baylor."
"It was nice, because that kind of cemented the hard work," Freddie said. "As a coach, you have to give scholarships to guys that you hope can contribute. So, the fact that he thought that, I feel like it was earned."
Through the first half of the regular season last year, he was basically getting walk-on minutes, actually riding the bench (eight) in more games than he played (six).
But, when 6-10 forward Tristan Clark suffered a season-ending knee injury two games into conference play, it opened the door for Gillespie. Starting nine of the last 12 games, he scored in double figures four times and averaged 5.3 points and 4.4 rebounds.
"Coaches always love guys who work hard," Drew said. "His first year out, Freddie was the hardest-working guy on the team. He's continued to work hard his whole time here. As a coach, you're always happy and pleased when guys that put in the time and do it the right way are successful."
Watching guys of similar size and skill sets, like Dedric Lawson of Kansas and Dean Wade of Kansas State, Gillespie saw their approach and found things he could take from their games. And it was those things that "helped me take those next steps this year," he said.
Gillespie hasn't just taken another stop, it's been more like a huge leap.
The same guy that couldn't get on the floor four years ago at a Division III school is considered a strong All-Big 12 candidate and potential NBA Draft pick, averaging 9.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks for a surprising Baylor team (22-1, 11-0) that's ranked No. 1 in the country for the fourth-straight week.
NBA Draft Room, which projects Gillespie to go in the 2nd round to the Oklahoma City Thunder, said he has "raised his game to a new level this year and shows some NBA attributes, rebounding and blocking shots."
Freddie, who graduated in August with a degree in political science, said he eventually wants to work in investment banking or with the state department. But now, playing professional "is a little more within my reach."
"The thing about sports that's a little different from other professions is you only have a small window you can play," he said. "For me, I want to play basketball for as long as I can. And to be a professional is the reason I came to Baylor. One thing that was great about this is that I got to do the academic side at a really esteemed academic institution to do what I want to do after basketball. But also, we have an esteemed athletic program here in a lot of sports. They helped me achieve both of those goals."
Baylor hosts 14th-ranked West Virginia (18-6, 6-5) at 3 p.m. Saturday in a top-25 matchup at the Ferrell Center. The Mountaineers let a nine-point second-half lead slip away in falling at home to No. 3 Kansas, 58-49, on Wednesday.
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