The Minnesota Timberwolves' point guard room has been a notable criticism and could very well be a fatal flaw. Mike Conley turns 38 before the start of the season, and Rob Dillingham is entering his second season after not playing much as a rookie. Given this, it's easy to see why many people are concerned about the Wolves' point guard play.
However, on the bright side, Dillingham has immense upside, and he has the perfect mentor to learn from in Conley. Dillingham can learn from Conley both on the court and as a professional. The Kentucky product undoubtedly learned from Conley during his rookie season, and Conley's presence will continue to benefit Dillingham.
Mike Conley is the perfect role model for Rob Dillingham
Dillingham and Conley have similar frames, with Dillingham listed at 6-foot-1, 176 pounds, and Conley listed at 6-foot, 175 pounds. While the two players have different playstyles, there's still a lot for Dillingham to learn from the 19-year veteran. Most notably, Dillingham can learn how to be a positive defender despite his size. In his prime, Conley was one of the league's best perimeter defenders, making an All-Defensive team in the 2012-13 season.
Undoubtedly, Dillingham's biggest concern is his defense. While it's hard to be a positive defender with such a small frame, Dillingham has the perfect example of how to do that. Another key aspect that Conley's presence can help Dillingham with is passing. Chris Finch and the Wolves are looking to use Dillingham in a more facilitator role.
Dillingham has some solid passing chops. However, in college and high school, he didn't run the show as a pure facilitator, which is something he can learn from Uncle Mike. Yes, Dillingham will still have plenty of responsibilities as a shot creator, but he'll be depended on more as a playmaker given the Wolves' surrounding roster. If Dillingham can develop more as a playmaker while maintaining his elite finishing and shot creation, it's easy to see him having a breakout year.
Conley has already impacted Dillingham
In general, Conley's professionalism and experience will certainly rub off on Dillingham. This definitely benefited Dillingham in his rookie season and will make him well-prepared for a bigger role this season. Dillingham has openly spoken about how he has learned from Conley, especially as a playmaker and professional. This season, Dillingham will have a chance to show what he's learned.
Rob Dillingham on Mike Conley’s impact on his PG growth
— Andrew Dukowitz (@adukeMN) July 6, 2025
“Very important… I watched him do everything, like how he set up at the beginning of the game, how he set players up, when he gets his shots. It meant a lot for sure, just to be able to see Mike do that” pic.twitter.com/S6RpvllWwy
While it's fair to be concerned about the Wolves' point guard situation, there are also reasons for optimism. Conley is still capable of providing a solid 20 minutes and makes a strong impact as a playmaker. He notably averaged 4.5 assists last season. Dillingham, despite only playing 10.5 minutes last season, is a gifted scorer who can also provide high-level playmaking. Learning from Conley last season and now will certainly benefit Dillingham as he takes on a more sizable role.