Rob Dillingham prepares for a big freshman season in Lexington

Coming off of another disappointing first-weekend exit in the NCAA Tournament Kentucky Wildcats fans are understandably antsy for a deep postseason run, something we haven’t seen since 2019.

But as people say — be thankful for what you have and don’t dwell on what you don’t.

And boy oh boy does the Big Blue Nation have a wealth of incoming freshman talent to be grateful for.

Rob Dillingham’s reputation already has him pegged as an electric play-maker who isn’t afraid of the moment.

Playing for the Cold Hearts Overtime Elite team, the future Wildcat averaged just under 15 points a game while making a name for himself as a lethal scorer and dynamic facilitator.

By now, you’ve likely seen highlight reels featuring Dillingham’s elusive speed, crazy handles, and the ability to knock down high-difficultly shots from all over the floor.

Kentucky Sports Radio’s Jack Pilgrim interviewed Cold Hearts head coach Ryan Gomes, who provided additional reasons for Kentucky fans to get excited about the five-star guard.

“His quickness with the ball, his shiftiness, his shot-making ability from long range, his craftiness, making the easy plays. Being here, he’s put everyone on notice. That’s what he consistently does.” Gomes said.

That sounds a lot like some former guards who’ve played under John Calipari at the University of Kentucky, doesn’t it?

Every guard that Coach Cal has brought to Lexington has been extremely talented, even the few that struggled. The difference in success or lack thereof was heavily determined by the player’s mental toughness.

If Rob Dillingham’s confidence transfers to Division-I NCAA basketball, the results could produce a scary good backcourt with DJ Wagner in the fold as well.

Coach Gomes gave his insight on how Dillingham will gel with the slew of incoming freshmen talent.

“With his attributes and with the guys coming to their team that we’ve spoken about, there’s gonna be a lot of space. I don’t think you can leave (Reed) Sheppard open, I don’t think you can leave (DJ) Wagner. The lefty that they’ve got (Justin Edwards), him as well. And (Aaron Bradshaw) — who played with Wagner, as well — coming.”

Make sure to read Jack Pilgrim’s entire article here because it’s packed with details about adversity that Dillingham has overcome and more of what to expect next season.

Also, give him a flow @JackPilgrimKSR.