The Minnesota Timberwolves picked up a special player in Rob Dillingham after making a trade with the San Antonio Spurs for the eighth overall pick. Dillingham played one season with the Cold Hearts in the Overtime Elite basketball league before continuing his career at Kentucky. Dillingham was an immediate fan favorite due to his smooth handle and lethal shot-creating ability.
In his one season with Kentucky, Dillingham showed a lot of promise. Dillingham averaged 15.2 points, 3.9 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game. Dillingham put on a show for fans every night, making highlight play after highlight play. While having an abrupt end to his time as a Wildcat with an upset loss to Oakland, optimism is high as he gets to pair up with Anthony Edwards in Minnesota.
What Rob Dillingham Has to Do to Be a Successful NBA Player
Offense
Shooting
Dillingham is one of the most talented offensive prospects in the game right now. With his high-level dribbling to complement his tough shot-making ability, the sky is the limit for Dillingham. He shot an exceptional 44.4% from beyond the arc with the Wildcats. However, Dillingham showed some struggle shooting the ball in the NBA Summer League. In his five games of summer league play, he shot 30.8% from deep and just 54.5% on free throws!
The size and skill gap from the collegiate to the pro level might take some getting used to for the 6-foot-1 guard. Dillingham will have to make an adjustment as to how to score on these bigger defenders. Although his efficiency took a minor setback in the summer league, these speculations are usually proven inaccurate as players are given a chance to adjust their game.
Playmaking
Dillingham is known as a walking highlight reel guard with an NBA-ready handle. While he struggled to be a facilitator in college, he showed his ability to do so in summer league, averaging 7.6 assists per game. Dillingham even recorded a game with 25 points and 12 assists against the Orlando Magic! While his playmaking has improved, he struggled with turnovers averaging 3.4 per game. This is not a new problem with Dillingham, as he turned the ball over in college at a high rate as well, with 2.0 a game.
Dillingham needs to learn to make the correct reads. As an undersized guard in the NBA, there is no room for mistakes. Dillingham’s IQ must be flawless, so he can solidify himself as a small point guard in today’s league. If Dillingham can find a proper balance between using his handle to score and facilitate then his game will transfer to the NBA very well.
Defense
Due to his small stature, Dillingham struggles on defense. Dillingham isn’t a great on-ball defender, and he also has a tendency to foul a lot, averaging 2.6 personal fouls a game at the collegiate level. This issue did not seem to improve with his short stint in the summer league, as he averaged 3.4 fouls per game over the five-game stretch. On the contrary, Dillingham plays the lanes very well and does a great job getting steals. He averaged a steal a game in college. Additionally, Dillingham showed he can continue to do that at the professional level, as he kept his average of a steal per game during the summer league.
At the NBA level, Dillingham will need to limit the amount that he fouls while also still recording steals. As a small guard who might get hunted out on defense, it is essential that he doesn’t have to foul to stop his man. He also needs to continue being aggressive with getting steals, as that can make him a valuable defender in zone defense.
The Last Word
Dillingham is one of the most exciting and talented players in the 2024 NBA Draft. Pairing up with Edwards in Minnesota can benefit Dillingham. Even though Edwards is still young himself, he can help mentor Dillingham and help him perfect his all-around game. Dillingham is such a talented offensive player, that can score on all three levels. If he can continue to improve his playmaking and decision-making, while keeping the turnovers low, it will be a nightmare for teams to contain him.
On the defensive end, he needs to stay out of foul trouble, while still recording steals at a high rate. He might never become a lock-down defender in the NBA, but as a small guard, he needs to be a great defender in a zone. While it is difficult to be an undersized player in today’s NBA, there are a handful of short point guards that thrive in today’s game such as Jalen Brunson and Trae Young. Dillingham needs to refine his game to the level that Brunson and Young have. Dillingham has all of the tools to become one of the greats, and entering his rookie season with the already contending Timberwolves, he might take this team to the next level.
