Rob Dillingham was made a lottery pick during the 2024 NBA Draft for one reason. Despite his status as a point guard, it wasn't for his playmaking ability, and it definitely wasn't for his size or defense. Dillingham was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves because he can put the ball in the bucket better than the vast majority of NBA players.
The guard from Kentucky who was drafted eighth overall in 2024 is an excellent scorer, and he can put points on the board in a variety of ways. That is why he is poised for a big sophomore campaign and a productive career as a whole.
Dillingham didn't play much as a rookie, but he is talented
The Timberwolves traded a future first-round pick and a future pick swap for the chance to add Dillingham to their roster on draft day in 2024. While that is a sizeable amount of future capital, the deal for the 6-foot-1, 176-pound guard was widely regarded as a steal for Minnesota.
Dillingham averaged 15.2 points per game in a sixth-man role in his lone collegiate season. The undersized guard played a vital role for the Wildcats, and he was expected to do so again during his rookie season. Dillingham's first year in the NBA didn't go quite as expected, though. Dillingham was glued to the bench for much of his rookie campaign.
He played in just 49 games in total, averaging 10.5 minutes and 4.5 points per game in the process. The Timberwolves came into the season with a need for scoring and guard depth, so Dillingham was expected to contribute as a rookie. Instead, his first season was somewhat of a disappointment. It wasn't Dillingham's scoring that prevented him from gaining the trust of Chris Finch, though.
Instead, Dillingham was limited to a small reserve role because the rest of his game was not yet NBA caliber. Dillingham will likely never be a known defender because of his slight frame, but many rookies struggle on the less glamorous end of the court because it takes a while to understand the nuances of defense at the highest level. Defense is something that is vital on Finch's team.
How will Rob Dillingham help the Timberwolves in 2025?
In year two, teams will likely still target Dillingham on defense, but if he can hold his own on that end, he will surely find rotation minutes for the Timberwolves. Players often make their biggest defensive leap from year one to year two. Dillingham can score in a variety of ways. He is an elite shooter, both off the bounce and in catch-and-shoot situations.
Dillingham is also an elite penetrator who uses a tight and flashy handle to get past defenders and in the direction of the rim. From there, the guard can hit floaters before meeting rim protection or use sneaky athleticism and impressive touch to finish around defenders in the painted area.
Minnesota will need this scoring from Dillingham in year two. Last season, they were incredibly deep with arguably the best eight-man rotation in the sport, but they will be without Nickeil Alexander-Walker this year. Dillingham is first in line to take the guard minutes left by NAW's departure to the Atlanta Hawks. Furthermore, Michael Conley is only getting older, so the Timberwolves would love to give more backup point guard minutes to the Kentucky product.
Expect Dillingham to at least be given a chance right away. He has shown in flashes that he can score at an NBA level; he just needs to be able to hold his own on defense and add a little playmaking in order to keep a consistent role in year two.