Only a month after an improbable and unforeseen gallop in the postseason, the Minnesota Timberwolves further added excitement to their team with their draft selection. They shook hands with the Spurs to acquire the 8th pick who would be Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham. The freshman was seen as one of the most prolific scorers and his demeanor is similar to the ace Anthony Edwards. He is a ruthless character with a relentless drive to score and play the game with high energy.
Rob Dillingham was seen as a promising talent from the very get-go. At 6’1″, his finishing skills are well polished and the teenage phantom is exceptional as an isolation scorer. His inexplicable confidence and flair almost made him a natural fit for the Timberwolves, and the franchise acted on their desperation. Yet they seemed to be the only ones interested in the savvy scorer. Bills Simmons explained the reason behind it on his podcast.
“We didn’t hear a ton about Dillingham. It was interesting because Rich Paul was his agent. And Rich Paul was on the Bronny, or Klutch was his agent, and they were on the Bronny James PR tour. And I actually felt like Dillingham became a little underrated by the time the draft started“, the analyst explained on the Bill Simmons podcast.
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As a client of Klutch Sports, it’s hard to argue against Simmons’ claims. Over the past few months, Paul has devoted a lot of his attention to LeBron James’ elder son and finding him the best fit for his development. That doesn’t necessarily have to mean that he didn’t contribute to his other clients.
The Timberwolves marched all the way to the Conference Finals this season when Vegas didn’t have them winning even 50 games. The Edwards-powered Wolves showed persistence and mental toughness. However, they suffered down the stretch in tackling the effortless scoring prowess of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Rob Dillingham feels he is the missing piece
The Timberwolves marched to the Conference Finals this season when Vegas didn’t have them winning even 50 games. The Edwards-powered Wolves showed persistence and mental toughness. However, they suffered down the stretch in tackling the effortless scoring prowess of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
It also seemed that they didn’t have another offensive weapon that could manifest something with the ball in his hand. Dillingham is the guy who fits that spot. The Kentucky guard has an impeccable handle which allows him to create enough space to get off a shot. Additionally, his 44% three-point shooting was bound to appeal to the Wolves who host floor spacers throughout their roster.
When asked about his new team, Dillingham mentioned how he feels he can make an immediate impact on the Wolves who lacked “another scorer”. “They just need one more piece, and I feel like they were honestly good this year, and they could have won it this year. So adding me is just a plus to the team, and whatever it does, it does,” he told Taylor Rooks.
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Are you excited to witness Dillingham and Edwards become the new-age scoring duo? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Before you go, do not forget to check out what Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato has to say about the alleged Shaq and Kobe Lakers beef. Keep checking this space for more such updates.
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