'I know what to do': Rob Dillingham's confidence growing after Summer League

Dillingham's summer finale is evidence that supports Minnesota's bold move to trade into the top 10 to get him.

Kentucky's guard Rob Dillingham (0) celebrated making a bucket against Vanderbilt during the first half of an NCAA basketball game at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., Wednesday, Mar. 6, 2024 / Scott Utterback/Courier Journal / USA

The Timberwolves stole headlines at the 2024 NBA draft when they opted to trade up and select Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham with the No. 8 overall pick. Their other first-round pick, Terrence Shannon Jr., looked like the star to begin the 2024 NBA Summer League, but Dillingham finished it out with arguably Minnesota's best individual performance of the event.

He finished Sunday's consolation finale against the Magic with 25 points and 12 assists, which were both his best marks of the summer. He had impressive efficiency, knocking down 11 of his 18 shots, and was asked about his improved confidence.

“Really just the work,” Dillingham responded. “We got a bunch of other games that didn’t go right for me. So I gotta keep coming out here with confidence and keep doing it because I know what I do. So really just really teammates helping me and my coaches.”

In Minnesota's five Summer League games, he averaged 13.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 7.6 assists on 36% shooting from the field and 31% shooting from beyond the arc. He started off on the wrong foot with 4 points on 2-of-12 shooting in Minnesota's opener against the Pelicans.

Despite being only 19 years old, the Timberwolves' decision to let Monte Morris and Jordan McLaughlin walk in free agency makes it seem that they're confident with Dillingham being their backup point guard next season.

Last season as a true freshman at Kentucky he averaged only 3.9 assists per game, but this summer he proved that he can be a facilitator with 7.6 a contest in Las Vegas. In an interview earlier this month, Timberwolves play-by-play announcer Michael Grady asked him what it means to join a team that is coming off a Western Conference finals appearance.

"It's definitely exciting, but I feel like you have to prove instead of just expecting something," he responded.

The expectation is that he will back up Mike Conley at point guard and play meaningful minutes this coming season. No one should expect 25 points and 12 assists, but his Summer League finale was certainly a flash of potential and evidence that supports Minnesota's bold move to trade into the top 10 to get him.