Former Kentucky star named dark horse for NBA Rookie of the Year Award

Will this former Kentucky star win Rookie of the Year?

Jun 26, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Rob Dillingham arrives before the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The start of the 2024-25 NBA season is right around the corner, and a handful of former Kentucky Wildcats are getting ready to make their NBA debut. One of those former Wildcats is Rob Dillingham. The electrifying scorer plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves and will be coming off the bench for a championship-contending team. The question is, does Dillingham have a chance to win NBA Rookie of the Year?

Chad Marriott of Give Me Sport predicted five dark horse NBA rookies who could win Rookie of the Year, and Dillingham was on the list. Here is Marriott's justification for having Dillingham on this list.

"Dillingham shot 44.4 percent from beyond the arc at Kentucky. While he'll go through some growing pains, his potential to score this season puts him in a position for Rookie of the Year. Playing alongside Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns will lead to more opportunities as well. The biggest downside for him will likely be the smaller margin for error. The Timberwolves are playing for a championship, so Dillingham may not get the minutes a typical lottery pick would receive."

- Chad Marriott on Rob Dillingham

It won't be easy for Dillingham to win Rookie of the Year coming off the bench, but when it comes to scoring upside for the rookies in this class, Dillingham's is the highest. Dillingham is going to be an exceptional scorer in the NBA, and if that upside hits in his rookie campaign, perhaps the former Wildcat can bring home the highest honor for rookies in the NBA.