Rookie Outlook: Timberwolves' Rob Dillingham

Learning behind a talented back court, Rob Dillingham enters his first season in the league with optimism on a contending Western Conference team.

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-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Timberwolves were a scary team to face for the duration of the season last year. A continuously surging Anthony Edwards with a formidable Timberwolves defense, they saw time in the first seed in the West while the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets followed suit.

A No. 3 seed into the postseason, they coasted by Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns in four games before meeting Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets to reach past them in a seven-game series -- leading to Minnesota's season ending with the Dallas Mavericks defeating the Timberwolves in five games.

Since then, they added a fresh new piece to bolster their offense in the draft -- Rob Dillingham, who the team traded up to the eighth pick for.

Dillingham's reserve role as an offensive creator and overall playmaker handling lead guard duties will be pertinent, as he'll back up veteran Mike Conley while reinforcing his own confidence and skill set to adjust to the NBA. The 6-foot-3 guard from Kentucky is joining a defensively gifted unit all around, and will have to adjust in that sense too of course, but his inexperience can be masked by the strong Timberwolves defenders in those backup lineups with Joe Ingles and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

Minnesota earns an offensive player who plays a lot off the feel of the game, who can create his own avenues to score on all three levels and can develop into a bright facilitator, especially when mentored by Conley.

Dillingham will get plenty of opportunities to show what he can offer to this already dangerous team, with the Timberwolves kicking off their season against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 22.

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