Current Wildcat star will be the NBA's Rookie of the Year next season
John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats picked up a quality midweek win at Rupp Arena on Wednesday evening, beating Mississippi State 90-77 to move to 3-1 in SEC play.
Antonio Reeves was the star with 27 points, but freshman guard Rob Dillingham was once again outstanding off the bench, dropping 16 points with four rebounds and four assists.
Dillingham's tremendous freshman season has resulted in him becoming one of the biggest risers in the 2024 NBA draft class, going from a guy most didn't even have on the radar to now being regularly mocked inside the top five.
With little star power in this draft class, could Dillingham not only be among the first players picked in June, but a candidate to win the NBA's Rookie of the Year award in 2025?
It certainly feels like a possibility, but it of course will depend on where the 6'2 guard lands on draft night. It's easy to imagine a rebuilding team like the Pistons or Blazers desiring Dillingham's youth and upside, but with Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey in Detroit and Scoot Henderson and Anfernee Simons in Portland, his playing time likely wouldn't materialize enough in Year 1 to put up the numbers necessary to take home ROY honors.
However, if the lottery falls in a way where he lands in San Antonio, paired with future superstar Victor Wembanyama and Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich, well a 15-18 point, 6-7 assist season feels entirely reasonable - and in this class that could be enough to earn the crown.
Dillingham's knock right now is his size, but he is a great athlete and his tremendous outside shooting (42.2%), facilitation skills (4.1 assists and 1.9 turnovers) and defensive instincts give him not only a super high ceiling, but a relatively safe floor as well.
In a class without very many high-floor and high-ceiling players, Dillingham's stock could continue to rise and put him in a position where he is starting in his first NBA game and playing enough to put up big numbers.
Three months ago Dillingham was not even a top five NBA draft prospect on his own team, but now it's not hard to see a path where he is the NBA Rookie of the Year. With six months until the draft, and about 10 months until the NBA season tips off, things could escalate even more for the tenacious, hard working burgeoning superstar.
