North Carolina native Rob Dillingham selected at No. 8 in the first round of NBA Draft

Dillingham starred as a high school sophomore at Lincolnton's Combine Academy

Kentucky Wildcats guard Rob Dillingham (0) looks to pass the ball under pressure during their quarterfinal game against Texas A&M of the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 15, 2024. / Alan Poizner/For The Tennessean / USA

Rob Dillingham, a native of Hickory, North Carolina, who began his high school career at Lincolnton’s Combine Academy was selected No. 8 in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night. The point/shooting guard was immediately traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a protected first round pick in 2030 and an unprotected first round pick in 2031.

Dillingham led Combine Academy to a 29-3 record as sophomore in 2020-21, when he was named the Charlotte Observer Boys High School Basketball Player of the Year. He took his talents to California's Donda Academy for his junior, but left after multiple controversies plagued the school related to its founder, rapper Kanye West. He then played what would have been his senior year with Overtime Cold Hearts in Georgia, a professional team for late high school and early college-level players. He was a 5-Star recruit while on the high school level.

Last season he was a freshman at the University of Kentucky where he was named Southeastern Conference Sixth Man of the Year, All-SEC second team and All-SEC Freshman Team. He appeared in 32 games and averaged 15.2 points, 3.9 assists and one steal per game. He shot 47.5% from the field and 44.4% from three-point range.

Dillingham initially committed to play his college basketball at North Carolina State over offers from Memphis, LSU, Kansas and Kentucky. Eventually he reopened his recruitting and ended up committing to Kentucky over offers from Louisville, Auburn and USC.