Rob Dillingham making 'difficult' adjustment to earn role with Wolves

Now in his second season, Timberwolves point guard Rob Dillingham is still trying to adjust to playing in the NBA and being on the fringe of the rotation for a contending team.

Last year's No. 8 overall pick out of Kentucky has had a difficult time earning a consistent role under head coach Chris Finch early in his career. As a rookie, Dillingham appeared in 49 of Minnesota's 82 regular season games and played over 15 minutes on just 14 occasions, mostly when the Wolves were dealing with some injuries in January and February. He wasn't part of the rotation at all in the postseason.

Early this year, Dillingham's role has increased only slightly. He played one total minute in the first three games of the season, but he's averaged around 15 minutes a night over the last five, heading into Friday night's game against the Jazz. Whereas Dillingham was always a featured offensive option on his teams growing up, both as a five-star high school recruit and in one season at Kentucky, the 20-year-old is now trying to find a rhythm while being in and out of Minnesota's rotation.

When you aren't playing heavy minutes, every decision you make feels amplified. Part of that for Dillingham is about knowing when to shoot versus when to create for his teammates.

"I'm not gonna lie, it's definitely one of the most difficult things I've experienced with basketball," he said at Friday's shootaround. "I've never had to be this type of player. But I want to win and I want to play on this team, so I'm gonna learn and do I whatever I need to do."

Throughout his basketball life, Dillingham has had the ball in his hands and has had the green light to attack as both a scorer and playmaker. Being in the NBA is different. In order to earn Finch's trust, he has to do the little things right. He feels like he's growing in that regard.

"Really just tryna do the little stuff that keeps me on the court," Dillingham said. "Definitely game by game, I feel way more comfortable. Like, you're playing minutes, so you get to watch your film, understand what you can't do next game."

Nov 3, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Rob Dillingham (4) drives against Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin (8) during the first half at Barclays Center. | John Jones-Imagn Images

On the offensive end of the floor, Dillingham is still searching for the right balance. He wants to be aggressive and use his abilities as a scorer, but he also doesn't want to force things. He wants to play within the Wolves' offense, but not at the cost of being passive when he has opportunities.

"Some games are different than others," he said. "In the Brooklyn game, I had a couple shots (where) I feel like I'm wide open but I don't shoot 'em. So then maybe the next game, I go into the game, watch the film and I'm like 'those are shots I always take.' Really just learning by watching film. If I'm open, I need to shoot the ball."

For a starter with a guaranteed role of 30-plus minutes a night, it's easier to get into the flow of a game, find a rhythm, and weather the ups and downs of a season. Dillingham is trying to figure out how to be effective in the NBA while not knowing how much he'll get to play — or if he'll play at all.

"(If) you're just now getting in the game, you don't wanna just take a shot because then it might throw your rhythm off," he said. "Just playing in the game, you don't wanna overdo it because it might throw it off. I just try to let the game come to me. If I'm open, I'm open. If I miss it, I miss it. And just try to make the right plays, play defense."

It's a balance Dillingham is still trying to find. His minutes are up slightly this year, from 10.5 to 12.8 per game, but he's still trying to earn a larger role and show what he's capable of in the NBA. Because the Wolves are a team in win-now mode, it might take time.

The benefit for Dillingham of playing on a good team with plenty of veterans is that there's a lot he can learn when he's not on the court, which should help him moving forward.

"Even if you're not playing, you're watching the vets who have done it (for) years so you take in what they do and create good habits," he said. "And then when I get on the court, I might mess up but then I'll watch the film and I'll watch it with them and they teach me things. So then the next game, it's already instilled in my mind. Definitely playing here, you learn good habits and you learn winning instead of just playing basketball."

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