Jason Gillespie is a veteran collegiate basketball coach with more than two decades of experience building high-powered offenses and championship-caliber programs. He is in his second stint as head coach of the King University Tornado men’s basketball team, returning to Bristol in April 2020. Gillespie previously served as an assistant coach for the Tornado in the early 2000s before successful head-coaching stops at Cincinnati Christian University, Bluefield College, and Reinhardt University.

Recent Seasons as Head Coach

• 2025–26: Led King to a 14–17 overall record with several marquee victories, including wins over UNC Pembroke, North Greenville, and a dominant 106–78 victory against Francis Marion. The Tornado advanced in the Conference Carolinas Tournament with a dramatic buzzer-beater over Mount Olive and defeated North Greenville on the road in the playoffs.
• 2024–25: Posted a strong 19–12 record and made a deep run in the Conference Carolinas Tournament. King earned postseason wins over Erskine and Young Harris before falling to top-seeded UNC Pembroke. The Tornado also secured key victories over North Greenville, Belmont Abbey, and other top conference opponents.
• 2023–24: Guided the program to its first Conference Carolinas Tournament win of his era, defeating Young Harris 97–79 as the No. 9 seed. Freshman Mikhail Pocknett earned All-Conference honors and was named Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year. Amarius Beasley earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District recognition for the second straight season.
• 2022–23: Finished 7–22 overall and qualified for the Conference Carolinas Championship. Michael Mays earned Second Team All-Conference honors and surpassed the 1,000-point career milestone. Jaylen Bernard and Beasley earned Academic All-District honors.
• 2021–22: Opened the season with wins over UVA Wise and Carson-Newman and finished eighth in the league standings. King ranked among the conference leaders in scoring and field-goal percentage, led the league in opponent three-point percentage, and ranked second in steals. Mays earned Third Team All-Conference honors after leading the league in three-point shooting.
• 2020–21: First season back at King featured strong offensive production, ranking second in Conference Carolinas and 14th nationally in scoring (85.2 points per game). The Tornado also led the league in rebounding and ranked fifth nationally in offensive rebounds per game.

During his second tenure at King, Gillespie’s players have earned 3 All-Conference Carolinas selections, 7 Academic All-Conference honors, 4 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selections, 4 Conference Carolinas Defensive Player of the Week awards, and 1 Conference Carolinas Player of the Week award. His first career win at King came on January 16, 2021, in a 106–82 victory over Bluefield State.

Pre-King Coaching Experience

Gillespie built an impressive résumé across the NAIA landscape. His first head-coaching role at Cincinnati Christian University included a sixth-place finish at the NCCAA National Championships in 2004–05. He then spent four seasons at Bluefield College, leading the Rams to three 20-win seasons, including a school-record 27 wins in 2008–09. Bluefield made three consecutive NAIA National Championship appearances (first such streak in school history), and Gillespie was twice named AAC Coach of the Year.

He later returned to Cincinnati Christian as head coach and athletic director before taking over at Reinhardt University. There, he engineered one of the most consistent offensive programs in the NAIA, posting five straight winning seasons, earning two NAIA National Championship berths, and ranking among national leaders in scoring. His 2016–17 team finished 22–10 and received national poll votes, while his 2017–18 squad ranked fourth nationally in scoring. In his final season, Reinhardt led the NAIA in turnover margin.

Across 16 seasons prior to his return to King, Gillespie compiled a 280–235 career record, including a 170–103 mark in conference play.

Education and Personal

A native of East Tennessee, Gillespie earned his Bachelor’s degree from East Tennessee State University in 1997 and his Master’s degree from Tennessee Technological University in 2000.

He and his wife, Cindy, a registered nurse, have three children: Keilan (21), Corydon (13), and Jacie (7).

Gillespie has a proven track record of player development, program building, and academic success at King University