Villanova Transfers: Maryland Mass Exodus Continues With Ja’Kobi Gillespie

The Maryland Terrapins’ mass exodus continues following head coach Kevin Willard’s departure for Villanova, with starter Ja’Kobi Gillespie and key bench players Tafara Gapare and Jay Young entering their names into the transfer portal on Monday, March 31. Starting guard Rodney Rice did so the same day. Players often follow their head coaches in the wake of a change, giving Villanova Men’s Basketball an excellent chance to overhaul their roster by plundering Maryland’s.

Gillespie could end up a massive steal for the Wildcats, with college basketball analyst Evan Miyakawa rating him as the top player currently in the portal. Gillespie led the Terrapins with an average of 31.6 minutes per game and finished first or second on the team in points (14.7), assists (4.8) and steals (1.9) per game. A junior with one year of eligibility remaining, Gillespie spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career at Belmont before departing for College Park.

Gapare, a forward, dropped 3.4 points and 1.9 rebounds in an average of 10.3 minutes per game during the 2024-25 season, the Terrapins’ second option off the bench. He stands 6-foot-9, tips the scale at a lean 215 pounds, and will have one year of eligibility remaining.

Young, a graduate student, retains one year of eligibility after spending two seasons playing for Baton Rouge Community College. Primarily deployed for his defensive ability, Young averaged 10.2 minutes per game for Maryland.