Suns guard Collin Gillespie on expanded role, what’s led to his improvement
Collin Gillespie said his rising numbers have more to do with opportunity than anything he’s done to improve his game.
Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie isn’t sure what Draymond Green was expecting, but backing down has never been an option for him.
Gillespie addressed his interaction with Green in the first half of Saturday’s 119-116 road loss to Golden State.
The Warriors forward collided into the back of Gillespie and was later hit with two technical fouls that led to an ejection.
“I ain’t even get under his skin,” Gillespie said after Tuesday’s morning shootaround Dec. 23 at the team’s practice facility. “Like, he said something to me and I said something back to him and I don’t know if he thought I wasn’t going to respond to what he said to me? I’m 26 years old, I’m a grown man. I’m not going to just let somebody call me a name and then not say anything back.
“I didn’t really get under his skin. I just said what he said back to me and that was it, and then he freaked out, so I don’t really know.”
Suns guard Collin Gillespie on his interaction with Draymond Green in Saturday’s loss to the Warriors: “I ain’t even get under his skin. Like, he said something to me and I said something back to him and I don’t know if he I thought I wasn’t going to respond to what he said to… pic.twitter.com/QlnCd31CEu
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 23, 2025
Green was ejected with 10:29 left in the first half with Phoenix up, 47-37.
When asked what Green said to him, Gillespie said: “I can’t say. You could probably put it together, but I can’t say it in the media. I just said don’t talk to me like that. That’s all I said. It wasn’t crazy, and I used the terminology he used and that was it.”
Gillespie said he was positioning himself for a rebound when the collision occurred.
“I was going to box him out because Steph (Curry) took a shot,” Gillespie said. “I didn’t really look into it. I don’t play into that stuff. I was just playing the game. He said something to me, I said something back to him and I went to box him out. That was it. I think it got blown way out of proportion.”
OK. It looks like Draymond Green got the first tech for ramming into Collin Gillespie, who didn’t respond.
Could be wrong, but it looks like the second one was him jawing at referee Pat Fraher.
Suns up 50-41. #Suns #DubNation https://t.co/YbNvYYqho4
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 21, 2025
Gillespie later said he had no problem with Green ramming him in the back.
“That’s just basketball,” Gillespie said.
Gillespie said he normally won’t say anything unless someone says something to him.
“I’ll respond,” Gillespie said. “It’s normally not going to be crazy in what I say. I’m just going to say what you said to me.”
Draymond what happened and why did you leave the bench?
“Tempers spilled over and I just thought it was best that I get out of there. I don’t think there was a situation where it was gonna get better… it was just best to remove myself.”
What caused the argument?
“Basketball.… https://t.co/bojXo0o9ut pic.twitter.com/vTAvSJk2Z1
— KNBR (@KNBR) December 23, 2025
In Golden State’s next game Dec. 22, Green had an heated argument with Warriors coach Steve Kerr on the team’s bench.
Green left the bench with 8:31 left in the third quarter and never checked back into the game.
“Tempers spilled over, and I thought it was best that I get out of there,” Green told reporters. “I don’t think it was a situation where it was going to get better. It was best to remove myself.”
Golden State won, 119-116.
“We’ve been at this now for a long time,” Green said. “Sometimes you’re with people for a long time and there’s a level of comfort and (expletive) happens. We move forward.”
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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