BREAKING: 5-star PG Rob Dillingham commits to Kentucky

Kentucky has landed its next five-star point guard, as senior standout Robert Dillingham has chosen the Wildcats over Auburn, Louisville and USC.

The Donda Academy (CA) standout announced his commitment Friday evening.

Dillingham is rated as the No. 3 overall prospect and No. 1 point guard in the 2023 On3 Consensus. He becomes Kentucky’s highest-rated commitment since Skal Labissiere in 2015 and the highest-rated point guard pledge since John Wall in 2009.

What does the newest Wildcat bring to the table? He’s one of the flashiest scorers and playmakers in the rising senior class, one capable of dropping 20-plus points on any given night. Polished as a ball handler, he breaks down defenders and uses a quick first step to get to his spots, where he is capable of knocking down shots at all three levels. He’s crafty around the basket, finishing with touch over and around size and length. He needs to add weight — he stands just 6-2, 165 pounds — and improve defensively, but if you’re looking for a spark-plug scorer to lead your offense in the class of 2023, you won’t find one better than Dillingham.

He took an official visit to UK back in October, where the Wildcats emerged as a serious threat to land his commitment the first time around. Following a late change of heart, Dillingham wound up committing to North Carolina State on December 1, a pledge that would hold for just three months. He reopened his recruitment on March 19, with the Wildcats quickly emerging as a top contender to land his commitment.

Kentucky assistant coach Chin Coleman, Dillingham’s lead recruiter, told the five-star guard shortly after his decommitment that he wouldn’t be losing this time around.

“It was really not too long after that they started hitting me up,” Dillingham told KSR back in April. “Coach Chin (Coleman) was saying he wasn’t going to lose this time recruiting me. That was their pitch.”

Fast forward to June, and Coleman was correct, fighting to earn a commitment from the nation’s top-ranked point guard. Dillingham joins four-star shooting guard Reed Sheppard in Kentucky’s 2023 recruiting class, which now ranks top-three nationally.

What does the 6-foot-2 prospect plan to bring to Lexington? A winning mindset and a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

“I definitely see myself being a top player in college, definitely getting deep in March Madness, that’s my goal,” Dillingham told KSR in May. “I feel like I already know I’m going to get drafted because I’m going to put in the work — I promise. It’s really just the accolades that come with going to a school, winning improves your draft stock.”

Dillingham currently averages 19.9 points per game on the Nike EYBL circuit, good for fourth overall. He’s doing so shooting 52.9% from the field, 38.4% from three and 79.0% from the line, while also adding 3.2 assists and 2.5 rebounds per contest.

Now, the five-star point guard is taking his talents to Kentucky.

Welcome to the family.