Where does Rob Dillingham rank in ESPN's latest mock draft? Taking a look at the Kentucky guard's NBA draft stock

Another one-and-done prospect for John Calipari`s final-ever team at Kentucky, young guard Rob Dillingham balled out in his freshman year in Lexington. He was the second-best scorer on the team all year long behind senior Antonio Reeves and is a consensus high-level prospect in this year`s NBA Draft, alongside teammate Reed Sheppard.

ESPN`s latest 2024 NBA Mock Draft has Dillingham pegged as the fourth overall pick, expected to join the San Antonio Spurs right after Sheppard at third.

Rob Dillingham`s strengths

Rob Dillingham is by all means a scoring, slashing guard akin to players like Kemba Walker. He took 32% of his FG attempts at the basket through drives, and sunk 52% of them, finishing consistently around the hoop despite the amount of defensive pressure on him.

Dillingham takes around half his shots from three (2 to 4.5 3PA/game at Kentucky) while shooting at an elite 44.4% clip from downtown. Unlike his former teammate Reed Sheppard, he is a shot creator who can score outside of a set if need be. He can still catch and shoot off passes, but he seems far more comfortable initiating offense himself once a set dies down.

Despite this, Rob Dillingham is a consensus three-level scorer who has an adequate size for the guard position at 6-foot-3-inch. NBA scouts tend to have differing opinions about him, but some believe that his ceiling resembles that of a player like Darius Garland, provided he further refines his offensive skillset.

How Rob Dillingham fits with the San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs, another Texas team with a big focus on youth, specifically seek a guard who can share the offensive load alongside Victor Wembanyama and Jeremy Sochan.

The Spurs have a glaring need to fill up their backcourt with decent folks. Currently, they have Tre Jones, Blake Wesley, and Devonte Graham in the first three positions. While Jones can likely keep his starting role, Dillingham could already be an upgrade over Wesley and Graham in the grand scheme of things.

For one, the former Kentucky guard`s overall efficiency on offense is his biggest asset. While Wesley demonstrates solid efficiency, he doesn't match Dillingham's skills in outside shooting. On the other hand, Graham is simply an inefficient scorer overall.