John Calipari's message to Rob Dillingham: 'You don't have to say anything, the whole building is mad at me'

Balance is everything in how Kentucky utilizes Rob Dillingham during the course of a game. It’s something that John Calipari has had to work at all season long but has showed plenty of patience in in regards to his fantastic freshman guard.

Calipari spoke about Dillingham’s overall game following the 93-77 win for the Wildcats over Vanderbilt on Wednesday. In his opinion, Dillingham is among the best in the nation when he’s putting up an all-around outing that’s in the flow of what they’re doing offensively.

“If he’s choosing to play that way? He’s as good as there is in the country,” said Calipari. “He really is – if he chooses to play that way.”

However, for anyone who has watched Dillingham, there are also the moments where it can get crazy – for better or worse. Those high highs come with their lows over the course of a game and it has been something that Calipari has had to accept to some degree on a per half basis.

“Sometimes, he’s not choosing to pass it – ‘I’m going to try and score this’. Today, he took one bad shot. He knew it but I give him one play a half that way and I don’t say much. But if it goes to two or three? You’re out because we respect the fact that we’re giving you the ball and letting you go,” Calipari explained. “Just make easy plays, shoot the ball.”

“There was a play that I told him. I said, ‘We’re snapping it’. He kept it, did his step back, and just threw one,” recalled Calipari. “Now, he was hoping it went in so he could say okay but it didn’t so he looked at me. ‘My fault’ – no kidding it’s your fault! But it’s one a half. That’s fine.”

In regards to Dillingham, Calipari wants him to go out and play his game. It’s a game that just naturally comes with its mistakes but is one that, regardless of that fact, the fans love to watch.

With that being the case, Calipari is willing to take the heat in regards to how he handles Dillingham’s minutes or place in the rotation.

“I told him today. The greatest thing about him and I said for him, what I way saying to him? If I take you out, you don’t have to say anything. The whole building is mad at me. So you’re fine,” said Calipari. “They’re mad – ‘Why is he taking him out?'”

“That’s why he started laughing. I said you don’t have to get mad or anything. They’re mad at me,” Calipari said. “Just be ready to go back in and play.”

Dillingham is Kentucky’s second-leading scorer at 15.1 points per game as he shoots at 50.7% from the field and 43.5% from three. He also posts 1.7 assists to 1.2 turnovers per game at about a 1:1 ratio. In 26 minutes off the bench versus the Commodores, Dillingham tied for the game’s lead in scoring with 23 on 9/15 (60%) from the field and 3/4 (75%) from three to go with five assists and three turnovers.

When Dillingham gets going, it’s among as good as it gets in college basketball at the moment. Even so, his play just comes with some moments that are going to be errors, even if he has the best of intentions in them.

That’s why Calipari is doing all he can to see more of the former while also trying to accept as much of the latter as he can

“What he’s doing by us letting him go a little bit? It’s demoralizing if you’re on that other side,” said Calipari. “Make three threes in a row, make two layups, two passes for dunks. He’s good.”