Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham chosen 8th overall in NBA draft by Spurs, traded to Timberwolves

Former Kentucky basketball star Rob Dillingham was chosen by the San Antonio Spurs with the eighth overall pick in the NBA draft on Wednesday night in Brooklyn, New York. But he’s headed to the Minnesota Timberwolves via a trade, according to ESPN reports.

NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Wolves traded a 2031 unprotected first-round pick and a protected 2030 pick swap to the Spurs for Dillingham.

Dillingham was the second former Wildcat selected, following Reed Sheppard at No. 3 to the Houston Rockets. Other draft-eligible players from last season’s UK roster include Justin Edwards, Antonio Reeves and Tre Mitchell.

The 6-foot-3 guard from Hickory, North Carolina, averaged 15.2 points — second on the team behind fifth-year senior Antonio Reeves — and 3.9 assists (second behind fellow freshman Reed Sheppard) while playing 23.3 minutes and making one start in 32 games in his lone season at Kentucky.

SEC coaches voted Dillingham as the league’s Sixth Man of the Year, and he was one of eight players named to the conference’s All-Freshman Team, joining Sheppard and fellow UK guard D.J. Wagner in that group.

Kentucky’s most electric player is headed to the NBA draft. He’s projected in the top 10.