2024 NBA Draft: Rob Dillingham has Made his Case

Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham has proven his NBA-worthy skills. Now, it’s up to organizations to take the shot.

Very few prospects, if any, have seen their stock rise more than Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham’s over the course of the 2024 NBA Draft cycle.

Dillingham has long been on radars, boasting a five-star rating across ESPN and Rivals scouting services prior to signing with the Wildcats. But his Kentucky role being up in the air, along with his size at 6-foot-3-ish, left plenty of questions marks.

Now, Dillingham has answered those questions: he’s a prolific scorer, one of Kentucky’s best, and his size has hardly mattered in that regard. He’s lightning-quick, possesses a speedy first step capable of generating paint touches with ease and is exceptionally smooth when getting into his jumpers.

In 29 games so far, the Wildcat is averaging 15.1 points, 3.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds while playing just 23.2 minutes per game. Overall, he’s shooting 49%, and capitalizing on 44% of his 3-pointers.

Per Synergy, he ranks excellent on jump shots, all types of catch and shoot shots and runners, as well as very good on dribble jumpers. In terms of possession types, he ranks excellent spotting up and as the pick-and-roll ball-handler.

Suffice to say, his scoring is legit — 26.1 points per 40 is proof enough of that.

The rest of Dillingham’s game leaves some to be desired. His defense could very well be the worst among the top-10 projected prospects in 2024. His passing, while passable, might not be NBA point guard-worthy. And his impact generally isn’t felt anywhere as much as scoring.

Still, teams might be fine with a white-hot scorer capable of improving elsewhere. Even those within the top three to five of the draft.

For now, Dillingham’s stock will likely move incrementally. Barring a sudden defensive philosophy shift or a next-level tournament run, he’s made his case to be a top-10 pick, and capable of going even higher.

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