Tag: Rob Dillingham

Multiple Wildcats honored by SEC coaches as All-SEC

Four Kentucky players were recognized with awards by SEC coaches

The 2023-24 regular season was another great one for the Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team. On Monday, several members of the team were honored by the Southeastern Conference coaches, and were recognized for their play.

Senior guard Antonio Reeves didn’t win Player of the Year, but he was voted as first team All-SEC. Reeves is currently on track to have the highest per game scoring average at Kentucky since John Calipari became the coach.

Rob Dillingham has been one of the most exciting players in Kentucky basketball history. His ability to take over games earned him the SEC’s Sixth Man of the Year award. He was also second team All-SEC and a part of their All-Freshman Team.

Like his father Jeff, Reed Sheppard has become one of the most popular Wildcats ever. His clutch shooting and high basketball IQ propelled him to the SEC’s Freshman of the Year award. Like Dillingham, he was also second team All-SEC.

D.J. Wagner has struggled with injuries this season, but has proven to be an excellent defender. He also flashes an innate ability to get into the lane. He joined Dillingham and Sheppard on the SEC All-Freshman team.

The recipients, and their teammates have games still to play, beginning with the SEC Tournament, which starts later this week. Kentucky will play their first game on Friday.

Two Kentucky players go top 10 in latest Bleacher Report mock draft

Bleacher Report’s latest NBA mock draft has two Wildcats in the top ten picks

Bleacher Report released their latest NBA mock draft this week and two Kentucky stars land squarely in the top 10 picks. It should be no surprise to anyone who has watched Kentucky basketball this year which two it is, but for anyone who hasn’t been paying attention, it’s guard Reed Shephard and guard Rob Dillingham.

Shephard was taken with the sixth pick in the mock by the Memphis Grizzlies. They note his ability to fit into any situation with his three point shooting and ball movement skills. His game against Mississippi State seems to have open some scouts eyes that Reed could be more than what some originally thought he could be.

Dillingham was taken a pick later, with the seventh pick by the San Antonio Spurs. They compare Dillingham to Lou Williams and it seems to be a great comparison. The Freshman may never be a lead guard or scorer for a team, but every team could use a guy who can put up points in a hurry or could excel as a sixth man. His ball-handling is something that every team could also use.

The mock also has Justin Edwards going number 46 to the Boston Celtics and Antonio Reeves going number 55 to the Indiana Pacers.

Three Wildcats in first round of latest CBS NBA mock draft

Three Kentucky Wildcats are selected in the first round of the latest CBS NBA mock draft.

NBA mock drafts are a fun exercise, and there will be many of them written over the upcoming months. Fans love them and it’s always interesting to see where players are projected to be selected. CBS released a new one on Thursday, and they have predicted three Kentucky Wildcats to be picked in round one.

Reed Sheppard is first off the board, going to the Portland Trail Blazers fifth overall. He has quickly risen up draft boards due to his intelligent play and his ability to shoot from deep. He plays hard, and he does all the little things as well as anyone.

With the sixth pick, the Toronto Raptors are given Rob Dillingham. The shifty guard is one of the great playmakers in the country. He is a terrific shooter, but passes the ball well too. His ability to blow by defenders is unmatched in college basketball.

The final Wildcat selected in the CBS mock draft is also a guard. D.J. Wagner goes 27th to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who also picked his father Dajuan Wagner in the first round 22 years ago. The younger Wagner needs to become a better shooter, but has great quickness and is a good defender.

EvanMiya analytics releases 2023-24 freshman rankings, and Jared McCain is outside the top 15

Prominent college basketball analytics site ranked the 2023-24 freshman class by its Bayesian Performance Rating. Where did Jared McCain fall after his 35-point game against FSU?

Noted college basketball analytics site EvanMiya, run by Evan Miyakawa, released its 2023-24 freshman rankings on Tuesday.

The rankings sorted the freshman class by their Bayesian Performance Rating, and Duke star Jared McCain finished 18th.

The first-year Blue Devils guard is averaging 13.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. He currently sports a performance rating of 4.20, finishing just above Kansas’s Johnny Furphy.

The ranking also listed each freshman’s preseason ranking, and McCain was eighth before the season began.

The Kentucky Wildcats cleaned up in the rankings, with two players in the top three and two more within the top 25. Reed Sheppard, who was ranked 26th before the season began, led the rankings with a performance rating of 8.45. Teammate Rob Dillingham, a likely lottery pick, came in third with a 5.96.

Sheppard is averaging 12.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.6 steals per game for the Wildcats, and he’s shooting above 50% from the floor and from beyond the arc. Dillingham is producing 14.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game himself.

McCain is the second-highest freshman in the rankings behind UNC’s Elliot Cadeau in seventh.

Predictions: Which Kentucky men’s basketball players will return next year

The Kentucky Wildcats have several talented Freshman players who could be drafted. Here’s a prediction of who could leave.

The Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team is a very young one. There are six Freshmen in the rotation regularly, and another two Sophomores playing nightly. They’re young, but very talented as well.

When this type of convergence happens, the talk inevitably turns to their NBA prospects and fans begin to wander who will leave early, and who might stick around. With the season’s end approaching, many Cats fans are looking ahead to next year, and guessing at who may be back.

There’s no way to be sure what players are being told by people about their NBA prospects, but here are predictions on what might happen, and what should happen with Kentucky’s Freshman group.

Rob Dillingham has gotten the attention of social media

Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham has gotten a lot of social media buzz of late

The Kentucky Wildcats are a team loaded with young, talented players who could be stars at any school in the country. They could have as many as seven players drafted in the 2024 NBA Draft. However, in recent weeks, guard Rob Dillingham has begun to hit another level of play, and people have noticed.

Dillingham came to Kentucky as a top 25 recruit, but not as the Wildcats top incoming player. Early on, he played a smaller role, coming off the bench to provide a spark, which he did. Using his speed and shot-making prowess, he brought an excitement to the floor each time he checked in.

More recently, with injuries piling up, Dillingham has had to take on a larger role, and he has excelled. Over his past four games, he has averaged more than 22 points, and against the Tennessee Volunteers, he poured in 35. For the season, he’s at 15 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds and a steal per game.

A lot of people have begun to take notice of Dillingham’s ability. Social media has raved about him, and his draft stock has risen dramatically. Here are some of the things being said about the Wildcat Freshman on X.

2024 NBA Mock Draft: Latest first-round projections at midway point of season

Rookie Wire took a look at the 2024 NBA draft class and where the top prospects stand as of Feb. 1.

The top NBA draft prospects worldwide have collectively reached the second halves of their respective seasons as they look to showcase themselves in front of scouts and executives.

The class this year has seen several players help their stock, while others have struggled and fallen down draft boards. Some players have also dealt with recent injuries and other factors that have prevented them from reaching their potential.

The draft is widely considered open at the top of the board, with several prospects in the conversation to be the first selection. Unlike last year, when Victor Wembanyama was the consensus No. 1 pick, there is no clear-cut choice this year.

[lawrence-related id=98367]

Prospects will continue to see their standing fluctuate over the remaining two-plus months of action on the court as scouts have more time to evaluate them. The sheer unknown atop the draft board should create plenty of storylines to follow over the remainder of the season.

The NBA announced on Wednesday that the draft will be expanded to a two-night format, with the first round set to take place on June 26 at the Barclays Center. The second round will be at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York the following night.

Rookie Wire looked at the class and where the top prospects stand at this point of the season. The order was determined by the reverse order of the NBA standings as of Feb. 1.

Note: Player fit wasn’t necessarily taken into account with each pick. Pick protections and other notes courtesy of Tankathon.