Injury update: Collin Gillespie suffers a fractured right ankle

When you traded to the Phoenix Suns last offseason, you may not have had high expectations for Collin Gillespie. With one year of experience with the Denver Nuggets and only 24 games played, he was unable to make a significant impact on the roster. But as the preseason progressed, it became clear why James Jones brought him to Phoenix on a two-way contract: the Villanova point guard has guts.

Gillespie has a way about him. He’s one of those players who knows how to find space on the floor, a key attribute for someone looking to make an impact as a facilitator in the league. In 5 preseason games, Gillespie averaged 9 points in 12.9 minutes played. That’s 25.1 points per 36. He did this on 51.9% shooting and 42.9% from distance.

Some of us wondered if he had Nash-like qualities.

We’ll have to wait and see if he’s the next Nash.

Two minutes into his first appearance with the Valley Suns, Gillespie sprained his ankle. At the time of the injury he had already accumulated 5 points.

“He had an MRI today,” Valley Suns head coach John Little said yesterday. “We will get this 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 showed a fracture in his right ankle. This injury will keep him sidelined for an extended period of time, impacting both his recovery timeline and any immediate plans for his return. The severity of the fracture likely requires additional care and caution, which is why his absence will be an important consideration for the team in the coming weeks.

This is unfortunate news as I was really looking forward to following Gillespie’s development with the Valley Suns. While this injury doesn’t have an immediate impact on the major league club, if a player of Gillespie’s caliber is unable to continue to develop in the G-League, it could limit his potential impact when called up.

Get better, Sir Gillespie.