Robert Dillingham, No. 5 recruit in 2023 class, commits to Kentucky

Top 5 rookie Robert Dillingham Committing to Kentucky on Friday, he gave Wildcats the second top 30 guard in the 2023 class.

Dillingham initially devoted himself to North Carolina State University last December, but resumed hiring in March. He chose Kentucky over the Final Four, which included Auburn, Louisville and USC.

John Calipari brought in 15 five-star point guards after taking over in Kentucky in 2009. He earned five stars in all but two recruiting classes during that period, and also earned two five-star point guards in 2018. ..

“If you work in Kentucky and the Calcoach thinks you’re good enough to get it done, it’ll happen for you,” Dillingham told ESPN. “It was great when I visited Kentucky. They explained everything. Basketball, scholars, strength & conditioning, NIL.”

“Kal explains how it works,’not a reason to come here, but definitely a perk,'” Dillingham said of the name, image, and portrait. Tyty Washington When Oscar Shivwe It’s working very well. “

Kentucky was involved with Dillingham in many of his hires, and five-star guards officially visited Lexington last October. When Dillingham withdrew from North Carolina State University, Wildcats re-entered the photo.

“When I was at the combine academy, Director Cal and his staff came to see me,” he said of Calipari’s home visit early in hiring. “They flew privately to Lincolnton, NC. That meant a lot. He told me and my mother that his whole story was growing. My mother was energetic. A positive person. She is coachal and Kentucky. “

Dillingham was amazed by the fan support he received when he visited Lexington.

“They’re crazy, I’m not going to lie. I haven’t experienced anything like that,” he said. “They are very passionate. I haven’t taken a lot of pictures with my fans. I took pictures on my visit. You could feel the love.”

Dillingham, a 6-foot-1 security guard from North Carolina who moved to Donda Academy (California) last fall, is ranked 5th overall in the 2023 ESPN 100. DJ Wagner..

Dillingham has so far achieved an average CP3 All-Star 19.5 points and 3.3 assists on the Nike EYBL circuit, shooting 64.9% from inside the arc and 40.3% from the 3-point range.

He is one of the most dynamic players in his class in 2023. His greatest influence comes from his basketball instinct, advanced ball skills, and court awareness, and he can be a shot creator and playmaker. Dillingham is one of the best shotmakers and space creators in high school games. Whether it’s in transition or against the defenses set, Dillingham finds an open pocket of space to score or distribute to Openman.

He reads the floor very well and unbalances the defender by constantly changing speed and direction. Hesitant movements, crossover dribbles, shot fake, jabsteps are all part of Dillingham’s weapon, and he has a deep distance to the jumper. He is also a very good off-ball defender because of his vision and anticipation skills.

Calipari currently has two ESPN 100 guards in his 2023 class, with Dillingham joining the state’s outlook. Lead shepherd (No.29).

“We knew him from a young age,” Dillingham said. “He has a sneaky bounce and is a knockdown shooter.”

Kentucky still remains in the five-star prospect Wagner’s mix. Ron Holland, Justin Edwards, Aaron Blood Show others. Wagner is a priority, but this is a fierce battle with rival Louisville. Louisville recently hired Wagner’s grandfather, Milt Wagner, who played for the Cardinals’ 1986 National Championship team, as director of the program’s player development and alumni association.

“I really feel that scoring and assisting can feed each other,” Dillingham said of Wagner. “We could easily play together and learn from each other. DJs are crazy. He’s one of the toughest players I’ve seen. He’s a shotmaker and scorer.”