The latest mock drafts project the Phoenix Suns using their 47th overall pick on well-known college players. One projection sends them Tennessee guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie, while another has them taking a different Volunteers big man.

Gillespie played two seasons at Belmont before transferring to Maryland for one year and returning to Tennessee as a senior. There he helped the Volunteers reach the Elite Eight. His shooting volume and decision-making stand out as assets that could translate to bench production.

Gillespie projects as a spark-plug guard rather than a primary creator. He can run the offense in short bursts and knock down jumpers. The Suns' crowded backcourt makes that role a natural fit, though his 6-foot frame raises familiar questions about size in the NBA.

Phoenix values its scouting staff and has flexibility at 47 after trading away higher assets in recent years. Keeping the pick or moving up slightly aligns with their pattern of adding older, productive college players amid widespread NIL-driven returns to school.

The draft begins June 23 at Barclays Center. That gives the Suns roughly 11 days to decide whether to stand pat, package the selection for a higher pick, or target one of the several prospects they have already worked out.