Rob Dillingham had a special season in Lexington for the Kentucky Wildcats. While John Calipari heads to Arkansas, Dillingham now heads to the NBA Draft. There is plenty of buzz that Rob Dillingham could ultimately be the first college player taken in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Rob Dillingham 2024 NBA Draft Profile
College Career
Dillingham was a spark plug off the bench for the Wildcats all year. Truthfully, the entire year was spent with fans complaining that Dillingham was not a starter or playing enough minutes. However, Kentucky has a history of lethal scorers coming off the bench…hello, Devin Booker.
Dillingham averaged 15.2 points, 3.9 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game while shooting 47.5/44.4/79.6. He did this with an eFG of 56.4% which tracks considering he is the definition of a tough shot maker. When Kentucky was in trouble, the ball was going to 0 and he was going to save them.
Strengths
There is no doubt that Dillingham’s strength is his offense. He was responsible for 475 points which was 50 more than Reed Sheppard, even though Dillingham played 200 fewer minutes. Dillingham had a usage rate over 30% which is quite absurd in college, especially on a team with talent all over the place.
The agility and quickness jump off the screen when Dillingham plays. His first step is as quick as anyone in the draft. This explosive speed paired with his creativity makes him a nightmare to cover. It is also the reason why it always seems like he can find a shot for himself if need be. Floor spacing at the next level will be better and getting to the rim will be even easier.
Dillingham had an assist rate of nearly 30% and a turnover rate of only 13% which are remarkable numbers to pair with his usage rate. This playmaking ability will work wonders at the next level when you factor in his athletic ability.
Stop what you’re doing and watch these Rob Dillingham highlights 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/JXfDetie5r
— Overtime (@overtime) February 22, 2024
Weaknesses
The first thing that will always be mentioned is his size. He is listed at 6’2 170 pounds but that feels very generous. It is important to note, he made a lot of tough shots and managed to shoot 44% from three with an absurd level of difficulty. So, his height and size were not a huge factor in college but the NBA is a different animal.
The part that will be much different is his defensive requirements. Kentucky was loaded with multiple seven-footers and rim protectors. Dillingham had minimal defensive requirements besides just being active and he could always be aggressive knowing there was help behind. He graded out as just an average defender with a defensive box plus-minus of 0.7 and a defensive rating of 109.8. He will be targeted defensively much like Trae Young is so the effort and intelligence have to be there to continue to be an asset and not a liability.
NBA Player Comparison
Dillingham’s play makes two people come to mind, both with very similar roles. What Dillingham did in college is most likely the role he will play in the NBA. Therefore, comparisons to Lou Williams and Cam Thomas are great for him. He is instant offense off the bench and really exemplifies that microwave ability so many teams look for in 6th men. There are games where he may score 50 and there are games where he struggles but he has a spot on a good team for sure.
2024 NBA Draft Projection
Likely top 7 pick.
