Let me know if this example rings a bell. The San Antonio Spurs discover themselves in a good recreation within the second or third quarter. Victor Wembanyama has gone to the bench for some relaxation and the group can’t generate any offense. They aren’t getting out in transition and three level photographs aren’t falling. The opposing group is ready to both dig into the Spurs’ lead, or prolong theirs whereas the offense falters.
Too typically have been the Spurs looking for offensive consistency within the 2023-24 season. They completed the yr within the bottom-ten in offensive ranking (110) and factors scored per recreation (112.1). Outdoors of Wembanyama and Devin Vassell, they didn’t have many gamers who might create a bonus offensively or hit threes persistently.
It’s why so many Spurs followers are enamored with the freshman guard out of Kentucky, Rob Dillingham, within the 2024 NBA Draft class.
Dillingham is a 6-foot-2 (allegedly) combo-guard who wowed the basketball world along with his excessive scoring performances at Kentucky this season. He exploded for giant video games towards Tennessee and Texas A&M the place he seemed unguardable. “Rob wit da shifts” as he goes by on social media is a shifty, fast-as-hell guard who can hit photographs everywhere in the courtroom.
Dillingham averaged 15.2 factors, 3.9 assists and 1 steal on 47.5% capturing from the sphere, 44.4% capturing from three and 79.6% capturing from the free throw line in his freshman season. Kentucky head coach, John Calipari, introduced Dillingham off the bench all yr (a puzzling determination that might have been part of the rationale that the coach is now at Arkansas) utilizing him as a spark plug to ignite the Wildcats offense. Nevertheless, the freshman guard was typically pulled from video games resulting from repeat defensive errors or puzzling decision-making on the offensive finish.
Dillingham’s core energy lies in his explosive scoring potential. For those who search for “microwave scorer” within the encyclopedia, Dillingham’s image could be on the web page. He can shoot off the catch, pull up for threes off the dribble and get to the rim for artistic finishes with both hand. He shot 50.6% on the rim on 87 makes an attempt. As a shooter, Dillingham hit 47.8% of his catch and shoot jumpers and 39.3% of his photographs off the bounce.
Dillingham is likely one of the greatest shooters within the draft. He has deep NBA vary and is able to hitting robust photographs everywhere in the flooring. One quirk in his recreation that I’ve turn out to be a giant fan of is his potential to relocate after a drive and shortly get open for 3. He’s an lively participant on offense even when the ball isn’t in his palms. He’s keen to come back off screens and minimize to get himself open for photographs. His potential to stretch a protection along with his capturing goes to be the first purpose he’s chosen within the lottery.
His gentle contact is his greatest ability, his second-best is his pace. Dillingham is a blur with the ball in his palms. He’s one of many quickest gamers on this cycle. His NBA Draft Mix pace exams are going to be eye-opening. Dillingham impressed me to return and watch different Kentucky speedsters’ school tape to check them. I might say that Dillingham is noticeably quicker than each Tyrese Maxey and Immanuel Quickley, two gamers that Dilly has typically been in comparison with.
That pace helps Rob create benefits for the offense. He’s capable of blow by defenders and get into the paint with or and not using a display. He has an excellent deal with and makes use of his explosiveness to shift a protection. As a result of groups must respect his jumper, he’s capable of assault arduous closeouts and get into the paint. He additionally has an excellent sense of when and how one can change speeds. Dillingham can lull a protection to sleep after which explode into a niche, attacking the paint.
Dillingham has the upside of a superb choose and roll participant. At Kentucky he primarily seemed to attain off screens, averaging 1.00 level per possession in his 120 PnR reps (25% of his complete offensive possessions.) In that motion he can stretch a protection as a capturing risk or get downhill along with his pace. Dillingham gained’t blow you away along with his passing potential, however he’s made some good reads within the choose and roll, particularly when he has a giant man to dump the ball off to for a paint contact.
Nevertheless, there are two sides to the Dillingham offensive sword. He’s an energizer bunny of an offensive participant. He performs quick and takes dangers – that received him into bother at Kentucky. Dillingham has a behavior of throwing dangerous passes, typically instances forcing skips over the protection with one hand. The freshman common 2 turnovers a recreation to his 3.9 assists.
Whereas Dillingham is usually an environment friendly offensive participant, he can be susceptible to forcing his shot. There shall be spurts of the sport the place it’s possible you’ll suppose, “it’s been awhile since Dillingham has received a shot up.” He should be considering the identical factor, as a result of virtually on cue, he’ll pressure up a foul shot. Calipari needed to pull him a couple of instances this season for these errors, however he additionally had an attention-grabbing quote on his philosophy teaching a participant like Rob.
Dillingham remains to be growing. These errors are going to occur as he continues to develop. For essentially the most half, Calipari did an excellent job letting Rob be Rob this season. Spurs head coach, Gregg Popovich has expertise on this division teaching flashy gamers like Manu Ginobili and even Wembanyama. If there’s anywhere that can take the great with Dillingham’s unhealthy, it’s San Antonio.
Talking of the unhealthy – Dillingham may be the worst defender in school basketball (that’s saying one thing coming from somebody who roots for the 8-24 Missouri Tigers.) Earlier this season Kentucky misplaced an in depth recreation to Gonzaga at dwelling. In that contest, the Bulldogs focused Dillingham, placing him in display after display. His effort in getting round these screens was inconsistent at greatest, and has been for almost all of the season. His display navigation is straight up not good. Most of the time, Dillingham provides up a bucket in screening actions.
Guarding off the ball, Dillingham has a foul behavior of standing straight up and down whereas watching his man. He’s late attending to the proper defensive place and tends to over-help off the ball. On the ball he’s nonetheless vulnerable to getting beat off the bounce and is so small that gamers can use their our bodies to create angles for themselves. On the subsequent degree, gamers will have the ability to elevate and shoot over Dillingham, too.
Which brings up the problem of his measurement. Kentucky lists Dillingham at 6-foot-2. That’s in all probability a stretch. We are going to see what his measurements are on the mix, however my guess is he’s nearer to 6-foot than 6-foot-2. The entire “small guard” skepticism is a bit overblown. Jalen Brunson, Damian Lillard and Maxey are all beginning guards within the playoffs who’re underneath 6-foot-3. Certain the league is getting greater, however smaller guards nonetheless have their place. That mentioned, it’s going to at all times put Dillingham at an obstacle defensively towards greater, stronger gamers.
His defensive woes could be made up for with a recreation bending defensive participant flanking him. Wembanyama’s elite rim safety ought to make it simpler for the Spurs even when they’ve a unfavourable defender on the level of assault. We noticed this yr that even with a number of sub-par defenders on the ground with Wembanyama, the Spurs can put collectively a top-15 protection.
The offensive match with Wembanyama is seamless. Dilly and Wemby could possibly be electrical as a choose and roll duo. Each of them are high-level scorers who the protection has to respect. Dillingham‘s potential to stretch the protection along with his capturing off the bounce would open up area for Wembanyama on the roll. Groups steadily despatched one other defender at Wemby final season. Dillingham would offer an offensive risk who could make protection pay for overcommitting to Wemby. Dillingham has expertise enjoying with different scoring guards at Kentucky. The offensive synergy with gamers like Vassell ought to be attractive for the Spurs.
Simply having one other participant who can create a bonus exterior of Wembanyama could be large for the group. Even when that finally ends up manifesting in additional of a sixth-man spark plug function, that’s an excellent final result for the Spurs within the draft. I’m undecided that Dillingham is a day-one plug and play place to begin guard for San Antonio. Their turnover points aren’t going to get higher with Dillingham on the helm. However they want extra offensive weapons, and Dillingham is likely one of the greatest within the draft. He additionally desires to be a Spur.
Dillingham jogs my memory a variety of Brandon Jennings. A excessive quantity scorer with the ball in his palms who’s a legal responsibility defensively. If the Spurs find yourself taking Dillingham with their first spherical choose, they’ll have to hope they’ll hone his offensive expertise and decrease his defensive points with the roster round him. In a weaker draft class, Dillingham is a reasonably good match with doubtlessly elite scoring upside.
