Rob Dillingham

Dillingham is an American guard who reached the NBA through the 2024 draft after a nontraditional path that included Overtime Elite and a single season at Kentucky. Selected eighth overall by the San Antonio Spurs and immediately traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, he brought a score-first mentality built on elite high school production and professional minor-league experience.

Born Robert Deon Potasi Dillingham on January 4, 2005, in Hickory, North Carolina, he is the son of Donald Dillingham and Valaaulia Tailele. He played for Combine Academy in Lincolnton, North Carolina, where he averaged 21.2 points, 4.9 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.1 steals as a sophomore and led the program to a non-association state title. He was named Charlotte Observer Player of the Year.

Dillingham transferred to Donda Academy for his junior year, then left amid controversies surrounding the school's founder and signed with the Overtime Elite league in Atlanta. He played for the Cold Hearts and Blue Checks, averaging 15.2 points per game during what would have been his senior high school season. He committed to Kentucky in June 2022 after initially pledging to NC State.

At Kentucky during the 2023–24 season, Dillingham operated as a scoring guard in a rotation-heavy backcourt. He declared for the 2024 NBA draft and received a green-room invitation. The Spurs selected him eighth overall on June 26, 2024, and traded him to Minnesota for future first-round pick swaps and an unprotected 2031 first-rounder. He signed with the Timberwolves on July 8, 2024.

Dillingham appeared in 49 games for Minnesota during the 2024–25 season, averaging 4.5 points and 2.0 assists. He logged 35 appearances in 2025–26 with averages of 3.5 points and 1.7 assists before being traded to the Chicago Bulls on February 5, 2026, alongside Leonard Miller and four second-round picks.

Dillingham plays as a shifty, score-first guard with advanced ball-handling and shot-creation instincts. His Overtime Elite tenure provided early professional structure, while his Kentucky season added high-major competition. In the NBA, his development centers on efficiency, decision-making, and defensive reliability as he adjusts to the league's pace and physicality.