Between the level of the group, which came out of a Western Conference final, and his ankle injury, the start of his career Rob Dillingham was quite discreet. Stuck in the infirmary or on the bench, the 8th choice of the last Draft could hardly be satisfied with his situation.
“I was first choice in the Draft and I came off the bench. I'm trying to make him understand that.”, explain Anthony Edwards, substitute during his first 17 matches during the winter of 2020.
“I tell him it’s a good sign that he’s frustrated with not playing. If we don't care, that means we're not ambitious. I like it »adds Rudy Gobert, who also started his career in diesel mode, with a stint in the G-League. “It hurt my ego but it feels good to play there, because we dominate and we realize that we are a good player. You have to use this frustration, this hunger to play and help the team to work more than the others. »
Finally, Donte DiVincenzo's recent injury will open doors for him. For four matches, Rob Dillingham has been allowed 15 minutes on the floor. It's not huge, but it's something.
“It's hard for a rookie to play a lot in a team that is trying to win the title. This is how it is”comments Chris Finch. “You have to wait and be patient. Rob is going to be a very good player, for a long time. We all have confidence in that, he just has to stay ready. » Except that for these young players, “sometimes it’s the first time in their lives that they haven’t played. It's mentally challenging for them. They must see the end of the tunnel”underlines the coach.
“I feel like before I was nervous, I was afraid of doing wrong. Now I just play. If I miss me, I miss me”
“I’ve always played. I've never gone through a period where I'm not playing, especially due to injury. It was new to me. I had to realize it”he confirms.
What is striking during this sequence is that, despite this short quarter of an hour to express himself, the rookie is fully immersed in it. He takes no less than 7 shots per game and scores 9 points. So of course, these are not always wise choices, with contested shots, but at least we cannot doubt his mentality. If we say we learn by walking, he learns by shooting.
“He has confidence and he shows it. His confidence is at its peak”notes Anthony Edwards. “I feel like before I was nervous, I was afraid of doing wrong. Now I just play. If I miss me, I miss me”assures the rookie. “It’s the confidence in myself that comes through because I feel like I can do it. But overall, I have to be patient. If it doesn't come, it doesn't matter. »
| Rob Dillingham | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2024-25 | MIN | 19 | 10 | 48.7 | 45.5 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 4.8 |
| Total | 19 | 10 | 48.7 | 45.5 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 4.8 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
