Meet the best player in the NBA draft

This year’s NBA Draft class has been consistently criticized largely for not having a clear star or breakout player. However, every draft class has stars and this year will be no different, one or more of these players will end up becoming stars. In a draft class filled with uncertainty, could we all be overlooking a future star? In my eyes, Rob Dillingham checks the most boxes and has the most star potential in the draft. Let’s dive into Dillingham’s game and see the positive side.

Meet the best player in the NBA draft

Rob Dillingham: a prototypical Star Guard

When analyzing the prototype of NBA stars, elite shot creation and scoring abilities are at the top of the list. There is no better shot creator and scorer in this draft than Dillingham. He is a proven three-level scorer averaging 15.2 points in his lone season at Kentucky. Dillingham’s elite combination of downhill speed, athleticism, handles, shooting and finishing make him a complete package as a creator.

Dillingham shot 54.8 percent at the rim and 44.4 percent on three-for-four attempts per game. Additionally, Dillingham is a high-level passer who averaged 3.9 assists with an assist percentage of 29.7. He can operate out of the pick-and-roll or deliver kicks to his teammates while driving to the rim with pinpoint precision. Above all, Dillingham is an incredible threat as both a creator and playmaker, which is the skill set needed for elite guards in the NBA. Most NBA stars create shots for themselves and others at a high level. Dillingham fits this description perfectly. Dillingham had an absurd usage rate of 30.3, making him an ideal primary creator and offensive engine in the NBA. Ultimately, this skill set gives Dillingham extreme offensive potential.

Additionally, Kentucky’s guards have a remarkable track record in the NBA and seem to produce stars every year. Kentucky has had a total of 28 NBA players and eight of them have been All-Stars. This season, eight former Kentucky guards averaged 17 points or more, including MVP runner-up Shai Gilgeous Alexander. Dillingham’s smaller build, but his elite speed and overall scoring is very similar to Tyrese Maxey. The biggest knock on Dillingham is his size and the defensive issues that come with it. Dillingham, listed at six-foot-one and 165 pounds, will likely need to step up some to deal with the increased physicality of the NBA. Likewise, he wasn’t a great defender at Kentucky.

Draw range

Small guards are always targeted defensively in the NBA and Dillingham will need to improve his efforts to avoid becoming a defensive liability. However, there is no denying Dillingham’s offensive potential. In a draft class that reportedly lacks a true star, Dillingham’s abilities as a creator and playmaker give the best chance. A few teams that could benefit the most from Dillingham’s skills are the Spurs, Jazz and Wizards. Notably, despite the offensive upside, Dillingham fell slightly on the big boards in the draft. ESPN ranks Dillingham seventh, TheRinger 10th and CBS 13th. Now let’s compare Dillingham to some names consistently ranked above him.

Alex Sarr

Alex Sarr is the most likely No. 1 pick. The versatile seven-footer offers incredible defensive potential as a rim protector capable of guarding multiple positions. Sarr’s defense makes him one of the safest prospects. However, his offensive game is very raw. Although he is an athletic finisher, Sarr shoots many jumpers at an ineffective clip. Additionally, Sarr was inconsistent as an inside threat in the NBL. Sarr is something of an offensive project and doesn’t have the upside of a creator like Dillingham. As a result, Dillingham has a clearer path to becoming a star despite the stability Sarr’s defense provides him.

Zacharie Risacher

Zaccharie Risacher is another player in the running for this year’s top pick. Risacher is a versatile six-foot-nine wing with a knack for shooting. He is notably a career 40 percent three-point shooter. Additionally, its length and size give it many defensive advantages. However, Risacher’s lack of self-creation and ball handling severely limits his star’s potential. He is also a below-average athlete, boasting a 31-inch vertical, which further limits his potential. It’s highly likely that Risacher will have a long career as a high-profile supporting actor. Although Risacher is unlikely to be a true star, he projects to play a role on the level of Michael Porter.

Stephon Castle

Stephon Castle is an elite defender and connective playmaker with great positional size at six-foot-six. It has the ideal combination of positive impact and win-now. Plus, Castle is a proven winner; he was an integral part of UConn’s back-to-back championship team as a freshman. However, Castle’s jump shot is a major concern, shooting just 25 percent from beyond the arc at UConn. Time and time again, we’ve seen the importance of outside shooting for guards. If Castle can’t find his sweater, the chances of him becoming a star are almost zero. Regardless, there’s a good chance that Castle will have a long career and still have some of the highest stars. Ultimately, Dillingham’s creation and elite shooting abilities give him the edge.

Donovan Clingan

Donovan Clingan offers similar defensive and rim protection abilities to Sarr. Notably, the seven-foot-two Clingan averaged 2.5 blocks during his sophomore year at UConn. However, Clingan is significantly less mobile and versatile than Sarr. In the NBA, these skills are increasingly important defensively. Clingan is also a high-level rebounder averaging seven points per game and an interior scorer averaging 13 points per game. His offensive game offers potential as an interior scorer and lob threat. While this seems like a very nice prospect with quality NBA skills, Clingan doesn’t scream star.

Reed Sheppard

Dillingham’s backcourt mate, Reed Sheppard, is a complete guard with plenty of upside. Sheppard averaged 12.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists on .536/.521/.831 shooting splits. His 2.5 steals and 0.7 blocks per game are testament to his defensive abilities. Sheppard’s knockdown shots and defensive prowess make him one of the top picks in this draft class. However, his self-creation and ball handling are not at a star level right now. Sheppard had just an 18 percent usage rate, compared to Dillingham’s 30. Additionally, Sheppard is more of a connective point guard while Dillingham is more of a point guard. Sheppard projects to be a high-value complementary guard who can provide a little bit of everything. It’s possible that Sheppard becomes the star of this draft; maybe he and Dillingham will both become stars. However, Dillingham’s advanced shot creation and playmaking abilities give him the best chance.

Matas Buzelis

Matas Buzelis could have been the No. 1 pick if it wasn’t for a poor shooting season in the G-League. He shot just 27 percent from three and 67 percent from the line. Buzelis was a high-quality shooter in high school and if that shot returns, he could be the star of this draft. As a six-foot-ten forward, Buzelis offers great versatility as an elite finisher, rebounder and secondary playmaker. However, despite Buzelis’ intrigue as a do-it-all forward, the prototype Dillingham-type player is more successful. If Buzelis doesn’t develop a jumper, he will be left open and exposed in the playoffs.

Franz Wagner and Josh Giddey are similar players who have received this treatment in the playoffs. Although smaller guards will always be targeted, this year’s playoffs showed the success of Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Maxey and Darius Garland. If Dillingham translates to creator and playmaker, that’s the type of player we’ll be looking at. Even if Dillingham doesn’t reach that level, a Malik Monk or Immanuel Quickley type microwave scorer is realistic and that skill set would keep him on the field during playoff games. Likewise, Dillingham’s score gives him a high floor while Buzelis’ score does not have a clear elite strength. None of this should be a blow to Buzelis, in fact, for this draft I think he’s a top-three pick as a big forward with an incredibly well-rounded skill set. However, his jump shot will need to return to his high school level for that potential to be realized.

The last word

Ultimately, the draft is unpredictable, and trying to predict a star is harder than ever in this draft class. At the same time, the unpredictability and lack of a clear star makes this draft class so intriguing despite all the negative coverage surrounding it. Based on prototypes of NBA stars and the importance of self-creation abilities, Dillingham has the greatest star potential. Dillingham won’t be seeded first overall and could even fall in the late lottery. Nonetheless, his offensive potential as a creator and playmaker cannot be ignored. There are a plethora of signs that Dillingham is becoming a star and that upside doesn’t exist among most of the elite players in the draft. As a result, I believe Dillingham is the best player in this draft.