Where will Hickory native, Kentucky Wildcats standout Rob Dillingham land in NBA Draft?

Former Charlotte Observer boys’ high school basketball player of the year and Kentucky Wildcats standout Rob Dillingham has visited teams across the NBA ahead of this week’s draft.

But, he said, he’s had exactly one conversation with an NBA head coach: San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich.

The Spurs hold the fourth overall selection Wednesday, two spots before the Charlotte Hornets will make their first-round pick. The winner of the 2021 Charlotte Observer player of the year award before transferring, the former Kentucky point guard could be a lottery pick and pair up with Victor Wembanyama.

“From afar, coach (Pop) looks crazy,” Dillingham said Tuesday. “But I love coach. He’s more like a soft-spoken dude.”

Dillingham, a Hickory native, led Combine Academy in Lincolnton to a 29-3 record as a sophomore. He was coached there by Jeff McInnis, who played for the legendary Dean Smith at North Carolina in the 1990s.

Already a five-star recruit, Dillingham moved to California and played his junior season at Donda Academy — a private school founded by Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West. Dillingham transferred again for his senior season, taking his talents to Overtime Elite in Atlanta.

Dillingham said he spoke to Popovich at the Spurs’ facility, where Popovich got to know him and talked about coaching greats like Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. He’s fond of San Antonio but continually reiterated he’ll be happy wherever he lands.

“Honestly, I don’t know where I’m going at all,” Dillingham said. “It’s gonna be a complete surprise. I feel like everything happens for a reason, so there’s really no reason to stress about it.”

If Dillingham isn’t the Hornets’ pick at No. 6, here are a few players who could fall to Charlotte in this year’s NBA Draft:

Reed Sheppard, Kentucky

Sheppard, whom the Observer projects the Hornets will select sixth overall in its final mock draft, was one of the best freshmen in the country this past year at Kentucky.

He averaged 12.5 points per game for the Wildcats and impressed at last month’s NBA Combine in Chicago. Widely considered the National Freshman of the Year in college by a handful of outlets, Sheppard is expected to come off the board early.

“This is something you dream of as a little kid,” Sheppard, seated alongside his college teammate Dillingham, said Tuesday.

Dalton Knecht, Tennessee

Knecht, who played for Hickory native Rick Barnes in Knoxville, is currently the betting favorite to be the Charlotte Hornets’ selection at No. 6 overall.

He was voted SEC player of the year after averaging 21.7 points in his lone season at Tennessee, which reached the Elite 8 in an NCAA Tournament run that included two wins in Charlotte. He’d transferred to the Volunteers from his home state of Colorado, where he initially made a name for himself at Northern Colorado and junior college.

“I might be 23, but also, I didn’t get to play in big markets like a lot of these guys,” Knecht said. “I still have a lot of potential I can show.”

Stephon Castle, UConn

The reigning Big East freshman of the year is expected to be a lottery pick.

Castle averaged double-digit scoring and won the national championship in his lone season at Connecticut. He dropped 15 points and knocked down a 3-pointer in the title game against Purdue.

“I think the Big East is competitive every night from top to bottom,” said former South Carolina and Providence guard Devin Carter, the conference’s Player of the Year. “Any given night, anyone can beat you. Home court advantage is big time. The Big East is a different animal.”

Donovan Clingan, UConn

A two-time national champion at Connecticut, the 7-foot-2 center is one of the biggest names in the draft.

Clingan is coming off a strong sophomore season with the Huskies, averaging 13.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.5 blocks.

He said he’s worked out with five NBA teams but did not list them. Clingan noted he had a great workout with the Atlanta Hawks, who hold the first overall selection.

Clingan was also asked about his college coach, Dan Hurley, who was rumored as a potential target for the Los Angeles Lakers’ job before deciding to stay at UConn as the Lakers hired J.J. Redick.

“I knew he was gonna stay,” Clingan said. “I knew how much he loved UConn, how much UConn meant to him. He had a look at the opportunity — it’s a great opportunity for him, and he may eventually want to go to the NBA — but UConn is home for him.”

Ron Holland, G League Ignite

The 6-foot-7 forward averaged 20 points per game with G League Ignite this past season.

Holland, a native of suburban Dallas, is considered a five-star recruit and was named a McDonald’s All-American last year.

“Leadership and effort, that’s what stands out about me,” Holland said. “On the defensive end, you’ve got somebody who’s really gonna compete on both ends of the floor and really give yourselves possessions to win games.”