Spurs Mock Draft: What Would Rob Dillingham Bring to San Antonio?

As it stands, the San Antonio Spurs are projected to select Kentucky point guard Rob Dillingham with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. If that scenario were to play out, what would the 19-year-old bring to the team?

The San Antonio Spurs entered the 2023-24 season as the youngest team in the NBA. 

Fronted by rookie “alien” Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs embraced their youth heading into this season. San Antonio played a season full of highlights and athleticism galore, fueled by a young core making plays, though it was clear that the team was missing pieces to truly make a push at something special. 

Arguably the largest missing piece of the puzzle was a point guard to get the ball to the highly-explosive offensive arsenals of Wembanyama and Devin Vassell. The Spurs tried their hands at numerous combinations, even opting to give power forward Jeremy Sochan a chance in the beginning of the season. 

It wouldn't last for long, however, as he — like many of the other guards combinations the Spurs tried — fell short of the quality of guard play that would allow the young team to thrive. 

Luckily for The Spurs, they hold a high chance in the NBA Draft Lottery to land a top-5 pick in June: a perfect chance to address that guard issue. 

A recent mock draft by ESPN projected the Spurs to select Kentucky point guard Rob Dillingham. Dillingham, who was just a freshman this year, would fit right in with the young core in San Antonio at just 19 years old. He only started one game for the Wildcats last year, but contributed an impressive 15 points and four assists with a 23 minutes-per-game average. 

This wouldn't be unfamiliar territory for the Spurs, who drafted Sochan in the lottery after he came off the bench for Baylor in his final collegiate season. 

Dillingham would be a fantastic fit for a San Antonio team desperate for proficient guard play and someone who can run an offense that seeps scorers. Dillingham is an explosive scorer that can create for both himself and his teammates with the ball in his hands. 

Mar 6, 2024; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Rob Dillingham (0) drives to the basket.

Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

He is not an extremely tall guard, standing at just 6-foot-3, though he has shown great ability to score around the rim in crafty ways, even with the defense collapsing around him. His extremely quick first step and ability at the rim makes it almost impossible for defenders to crowd him on the perimeter, giving him multiple chances a game to show off his quick release and 44-percent 3-point percentage. 

Dillingham has the ability to score with anybody in the draft class, but what goes overlooked about the young guard is his passing ability. Dillingham cme off the bench and still managed to find himself second on the Wildcats in assists. The ability for Dillingham to use his passing will be vital to both his and the Spurs’ success, and he has shown the ability to fill a role San Antonio is very much needing. 

The part of the young guards game that may be the most enticing for the Spurs is his ability to play an effective pick-and-roll game with his big men. Dillingham's ability to score constantly gets defenders out-of-position, allowing him to either score inside or dish it to his big man for an easy bucket. He makes clear efforts to get his teammates the ball in positions to score, both inside or when kicking the ball out after defenders collapse on him. His ability to throw the lob will fare well with Wembanyama's freaky ability to rise above the rim and throw down passes. 

On the court, the fit is clear for Dillingham on the young San Antonio squad. What is less clear, is the fit of character for the young star. 

San Antonio has long put "we" over "me," and has made that clear through the years. Not any player can fit into the team-first culture of the Spurs and Gregg Poppovich, but Dillingham's character especially stands out after his first year at Kentucky. 

Dillingham came off the bench when told that it was best for the team, regardless of being a top contributor on the team. He presented a team-over-anything attitude that took even Wembanyama a long time to perfect during his first year in San Antonio. 

Sure, it didn't hurt that Wembanyama played his way into a near-guaranteed Rookie of the Year Award, but as long as Dillingham shows a team-first attitude and the desire to win, he’ll fit right in with the Spurs next season.