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Men's Basketball

John Calipari Is Not Clipping Rob Dillingham’s “Wings”, Letting Him Grow

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Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham celebrates a big play against North Carolina.
Photo by Chet White | UK Athletics

If you asked someone to describe Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham with one word, one might say “exciting”, “electric”, or even his marque adjective “shifty”. But coming out of high school, scouting reports labeled him as”inconsistent” and “undisciplined”, saying things such as:

“He needs to value substance over style – learning to be more efficient.”247Sports

“Will need to prove he can be efficient and under control.”Sports Illustrated

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“Will need to prove he’s unselfish.”Sports Illustrated

In his first exhibitions in a Kentucky uniform this summer at GLOBL Jam, adjectives both good and bad, were proven correct. Through four games, Dillingham averaged just 17.1 minutes per game, the 8th most on the roster of ten available players. To say he struggled was an understatement, shooting just 9-29 from the field and 1-7 from three.

Other programs used this as an opportunity to attempt to get Dillingham to leave Kentucky. “You think he got phone calls when we came back?” Calipari asked reporters on media day. “Why don’t you come with us — you don’t think that happened?”

Yet, he stayed committed to Kentucky and trusted the process.

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“Trusting Coach Cal and the process. Today wasn’t my day,” Dillingham said after playing just 12 minutes in game three of GLOBL Jam. “DJ was getting buckets. Reed was getting buckets. If they’re playing better. Why force myself to be mad? We’re a team.”

That display of maturity and mindset was a sign of what was to come. When the team returned to Lexington, Dillingham “lived” in the gym, continuing the work he started in June when he arrived on campus. By early October, he had added 24 pounds to the 155-pound frame he started with and found the comfort level he had been in search of.

At Kentucky Basketball’s Pro Day, Dillingham stood out to the 52 NBA scouts in attendance, calling him the “best player on the floor” and predicting him to be one of the biggest surprises on the team.

Fast forward to mid-December. The scouts were correct. The lightning-quick, undersized guard still keeps the ball on a string and confuses defenders with quick changes of movement and pace, as he always has. However, he is efficient, controlled, and unselfish, as Dillingham himself says, more “pro(-like)”.

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For reference, Dillingham leads Kentucky in assists (4.5 APG, T-2nd in SEC), assist/turnover ratio (2.7), and is second in three-point percentage (46.5%). Doing so coming off the bench and averaging the 7th most minutes on the team (23.2 MPG). Adjusting to per 40 minutes to see where he stands nationally, Dillingham is the ONLY player in the country to project 25+ points and 7+ assists.

An “always chill” Dillingham talked to the media after his latest performance, scoring a Kentucky team-high 17 points in a win against No. 9 North Carolina, including 7 of the Wildcats’ final 14 points. In doing so, Dillingham gives thanks to John Calipari who he says, “helps me, while letting me be me.”

“Since Canada, our relationship has grown so much,” Dillingham said. “He still shows me that he has confidence in me, still letting me rock. At the same time, he wants me to be more pro-like. Make smarter decisions. I’m really just thankful for having him. He helps me while letting me be me.”

Shortly after, Calipari responded to Dillingham’s comments, touching on what it is like to coach such a creative guard and finding a balance between letting him be himself and keeping him under control. “You’re coaching a kid that can create space and get a basket when he wants to,” Calipari said of Dillingham. “Do you clip his wings? You can’t, you gotta let him go.”

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The never-dull Dillingham isn’t prone to mistakes and still has his moments, which is why Calipari has created a ‘three-strike’ rule for him. “I give him two a half. The third one, you’re coming out.

Dillingham’s wings are flying him up NBA draft boards, and he looks to be Kentucky’s next lottery pick.

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Men's Basketball

Mark Pope’s Honesty Is a Rarity in College Basketball, “He’s Not Going to Sell You BS”

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Players say Kentucky coach Mark Pope's honesty and authenticity is what separates him from other college basketball coaches.
Chet White | UK Athletics

College basketball has changed with the advent of NIL and the transfer portal. In some ways for the better, and in others for the worse. That said, when money is introduced, it can complicate things, and even give opportunities for people to deceive young athletes.

It has already been seen in college football, as multiple athletes have opted to sit out the remainder of their seasons after not receiving NIL money they were originally promised. According to Kentucky transfer guard Kerr Kriisa, it is happening in college basketball too.

“In the college industry, kids are getting lied to,” Kriisa told Kentucky Insider. “They’re getting sold something that’s not true, that’s not there.”

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As of now, there are few bylaws and guidelines that the NCAA can enforce, leading to the current landscape. However, Mark Pope is separating himself.

“With Coach Pope, that’s not the case,” he added. “He’s honest. He doesn’t tell you something that’s not there. He’s not going to sell you some BS. He’s going to tell you how things are. That’s the thing I appreciate most, especially in this college industry. That is a very big thing about Coach Pope.”

Pope presents himself as honest and authentic, and that is apparent very quickly upon meeting him. Kriisa suggests that is why he has had early recruiting success.

Kentucky’s most recent commitment Acaden Lewis said as much following his accountment this past weekend.

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“[Mark] Pope, he was in the hood with me,” Lewis said. “He came to my barber shop and everything. It felt like a home. Felt like somewhere I should be.”

Talking to the father of another Kentucky prospect, “Everything is super personal with him [Pope]. It’s super cool.”

That authenticity is why Big Blue Nation and recruits have fallen in love with Pope. Now, will it lead to success? Time will tell.

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Men's Basketball

Mark Pope Named Most Impressive Coach of Opening Day of College Basketball

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Jordan Prather | Imagn

What a Kentucky coaching debut for Mark Pope, as the Wildcats routed Wright State 103-62 to tip off the season.

The 41-point margin of victory was not only the second-largest margin of victory in a Kentucky coach’s debut, only behind Adolph Rupp, but also a number of divine intervention. Of course, the margin matched Pope’s jersey number from his playing days at Kentucky.

“41, really special to me,” Pope said after the game. “That is really sweet. Kentucky magic, ain’t nothing like it.”

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Kentucky fans weren’t the only group impressed, as ESPN’s Myron Medcalf named Mark Pope the most impressive coach of day one of this college basketball season.

Medcalf writes:

Mark Pope kicked off his first year at Kentucky impressively. In the first half of his team’s matchup against Wright State, the Wildcats made 58% of their shots, 44% of their 3s. Five players had at least eight points before the break. Kentucky finished with 103 points. Jaxson Robinson is a potential future pro, but the program doesn’t have a clear star yet. Which is OK, as long as UK continues to play selflessly in the former BYU coach’s offensive scheme that spreads the floor — 50% of BYU’s shots last season were 3s — and encourages players to push the pace and attack the rim. It’s a fun style.

Of course, this is a long season, but the vibes are high and the excitement is building ahead of Kentucky’s first real test of the season as they take on Duke in the Champion’s Classic next week.

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Men's Basketball

Mark Pope Provides Promising Injury Update on Amari Williams

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Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope provides an injury update on Amari Williams ahead of the Wildcats season opener against Wright State.
Jordan Prather | Imagn

Kentucky tips off the season on Monday against Wright State, however, they could be down an important player.

Amari Williams, who is expected to be the starting big man for the Wildcats this season, suffered a hip injury just minutes into Kentucky’s exhibition against Minnesota State last week. While the injury did not look too severe at the moment, his limp to the locker room was worrisome.

“I think he’s fine,” Mark Pope said after the game. “X-rays came back solid but we’ll get some more imaging tomorrow. We’re hopeful he’ll be back soon.”

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On Friday, Pope provided another update.

“Imaging was really good, really positive. He’s day-to-day right now,” Pope said. “He won’t do anything – you know, just do free throws today. We’re hopeful that he’ll be back soon but we’ll kind of proceed with all the caution and urgency that we possibly can.”

Long term, this is a positive update. However, in the short term, Williams could be out for Kentucky’s first couple of regular season games, depending on how cautious he and team are being. We saw Kerr Kriisa sit out for the Blue-White event and Kentucky’s first exhibition following a “tweak” in practice.

The sooner the better for a return. Kentucky will certainly hope to be at 100% as they take on seventh-ranked Duke next week in the Champion’s Classic.

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