Who Should The Miami Heat Draft: Kentucky's Rob Dillingham Or Duke's Jared McCain?

Mar 6, 2024; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Rob Dillingham (0) drives to the basket during the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports | Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

Two of the most popular names in the NBA Draft could fall to the Miami Heat at No. 15: Kentucky's Rob Dillingham and Duke's Jared McCain.

Both excel primarily on the offensive end but have vastly different skillsets, potentially forcing the Heat's front office into a tough decision. It's no guarantee that either guard falls outside the lottery, but Yahoo Sports' Krysten Peek believes the two will go off the board with back-to-back picks. She opts for the Heat to select McCain while Dillingham falls to the Philadelphia 76ers.

"McCain has won at every level and competes at a high level when there's added pressure," Peek wrote. "He shoots the ball extremely well from 3-point range and has a quick release that's difficult to defend, even though he's on the smaller side as an NBA point guard."

The former Blue Devil's scoring consistency on all three levels is the most intriguing part of his game. The Heat's front office tends to favor versatile players such as Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic. It's also worth noting the energy McCain brings off-the-court due to his joyful personality and extensive presence on social media.

His frame gives him an upper hand on the concerning build of Dillingham, which Peek mentioned, writing, "Dillingham has been dealing with an ankle injury since the combine and will only be able to work out for a select number of teams leading up to the draft."

At 6-foot-2, 164 pounds, injuries are a real concern for Dillingham once he enters the league. It's also one of his greatest weaknesses, as he often struggles to hold his ground defensively. The Heat are too familiar with Kentucky guards that deal with injuries, drafting Tyler Herro in 2019. The former Sixth Man of the Year has yet to appear in more than 70 games.

The offensive versatility and availability of McCain make him the stronger choice at No. 15.

Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Inside the Heat. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.

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