We’re continuing our Bright Side series by exploring what success looks like for each Suns player in 2025–26.
If there’s one thing Phoenix’s offense has lacked in recent years, it’s a steady hand who can orchestrate a half-court possession without leaning entirely on its All-Stars. In Collin Gillespie, the Suns might have exactly that, a guard with the patience to let a set breathe, the vision to see an extra pass before it happens, and the toughness to stay on script when the pace slows.
In a Phoenix half-court set, his style becomes a weapon. He probes the paint without rushing, keeps defenders guessing with subtle hesitation moves, and makes reads that create high-percentage looks without the defense realizing it’s been manipulated.
Think of it as the opposite of chaos, as the opposite of dribbling the air out of the ball, a carefully built possession where every dribble serves a purpose.
NBAE via Getty Images
When Collin Gillespie first stepped onto the hardwood in Phoenix, the comparisons were as inevitable as they were lazy. Is this our next Steve Nash? If ever a comparison was low-hanging fruit, this was it. But Gillespie has never been interested in being anyone else’s reflection; he’s been chasing a light of his own since the day he walked on at Villanova and grew into the program’s heartbeat.
That same heartbeat is now in Phoenix, on a roster looking for a conductor who can steady the tempo when chaos threatens. And in year three, Gillespie finds himself standing in a space few players at his stage of a career do: a champion at the college level, a champion in the NBA, yet still largely unproven in meaningful NBA minutes.
That combination is rare, and it hints at a ceiling that’s still hidden from public view.
From G League dominance to NBA opportunity
The G League doesn’t hand out respect cheaply. You earn it possession by possession.
For Gillespie, it wasn’t just the numbers that popped (sharp shooting, low turnovers, and the kind of assist-to-turnover ratio coaches frame and hang in their office), it was the control. His teams played at his pace, bending to his rhythm. In a league designed to test endurance and adaptability, he was both unflappable and ruthless.
That poise is precisely what the Suns may need most in 2025-26. With Jordan Ott entering his first season as an NBA head coach, the team’s half-court identity will begin its potential-driven journey. Gillespie’s skill set — quick decision-making, surgical passing angles, and the ability to get teammates into their spots — could be the very architecture that made the Ott era work.
Collin Gillespie has a fully guaranteed contract for this upcoming season, and Suns fans have every right to get excited. Could he fill the lead point guard role that many felt Tyus Jones failed to capitalize upon? With ball handlers like Durant and Beal out of the way, Gillespie may well get career minutes on-ball.
What does a dominant Collin Gillespie look like in Phoenix?
It’s not about gaudy scoring totals. It’s about possession value.
It’s about reducing empty trips, increasing high-quality looks, and running sets that make life easier for the Suns’ offensive weapons. A dominant Gillespie in Phoenix is a floor general who thrives as both the rhythm section and the spark plug, keeping the beat steady until it’s time to drive the tempo forward. We’re likely talking about a 6th/7th man in the rotation that keeps the Suns in gear when Devin Booker or Jalen Green sits.
His own lane, his own voice
The Nash comparisons might be inevitable, but the truth is more interesting: Gillespie’s game is more bruiser-violinist than ballet conductor. He plays with the patience of a seasoned vet but isn’t afraid to absorb contact, to take a hit to make the next pass. His strength lies in marrying the cerebral with the physical, the steady hand with the willing shoulder.
That blend could prove invaluable for a young Suns squad trying to balance development with winning.
And with meaningful minutes on the table, Gillespie has a window here to show that he’s not just filling a roster spot—he’s a key contributor to shaping the way Phoenix plays basketball in 2025-26.
I’m looking for those moments where we witness CG create something out of nothing, digging in to provide a little late-game heroics.
If nothing else, we may get a pure point guard coming into his own in The Valley once more. And of course, with a guaranteed contract comes a nickname…CG12 anyone?
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