Rob Dillingham NBA Draft Scouting Report: Pro Comparison, Updated Timberwolves Roster
Ex-Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham is headed to the Minnesota Timberwolves after the San Antonio Spurs selected him with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft before trading him up north, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Jonathan Wasserman Scouting Report
Team: Kentucky
Position: PG/SG
Size: 6'3", 176 lbs
Age/Year: 19, Freshman
Nationality: American
Pro Comparison: Darius Garland
Scouting Report: There isn't a more creative and shifty ball-handler in the class than Dillingham, who's also a potent shot-maker on and off the ball. NBA teams see a microwave scorer, but scouts are still on the fence about how well he can balance playmaking with shot-hunting. Scouts see multiple potential outcomes: Either a scoring lead ball-handler, a combo guard at the 2 spot or a sixth-man bench spark.
Rob Dillingham, PG/SG: Rookie-scale contract
Karl-Anthony Towns, C: $49.4M (2028)
Rudy Gobert, C: $43.8M (2026)
Anthony Edwards, SG: $42.3M (2029)
Jaden McDaniels, PF: $22.6M (2029)
Naz Reid, C: $14M (2026)
Mike Conley, PG: $10M (2026)
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, SG: $4.3M (2025)
Wendell Moore, Jr.: $2.5M (2026)
Josh Minott, SF: $2M (2026)
Leonard Miller, SF: $1.9M (2027)
Jaylen Clark, SG: Two-way (2025)
Monte Morris, PG: UFA
Kyle Anderson, PF: UFA
Jordan McLaughlin, PG: UFA
A.J. Lawson, F: RFA
T.J. Warren, SF: UFA
Luka Garza, C: RFA
Daishen Nix, PG: RFA
Dillingham had an up-and-down freshman season at Kentucky, averaging 15.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists while spending most of the season as a reserve. He shot an impressive 44.4 percent from three-point range but struggled at times with his consistency and disappeared in Kentucky's first-round loss to Oakland in the NCAA tournament.
"Not over just the past few weeks, but the situations I've been in have prepared me for this, to just keep going through whatever," Dillingham said in May, per On3's Grant Grubbs. "How I look at [it] is, I don't know how this next six months are gonna go, but I'm gonna speak it into existence and try my hardest, give my all, and do what I can do to be in the best position for me and help my teammates."
Dillingham doesn't project as an instant starter at the NBA level, but his one year at Kentucky should make him a quick study as a reserve. At the very least, his ability to excel as a shooter gives him the chance to play on or off the ball while he's learning how to fine-tune his game.
This draft class is not seen as being particularly elite, so getting a high-quality sixth man in the lottery should be seen as a win.
