2024 NBA Mock Draft 5.0: Spurs find point guard, Raptors keep lottery selection

8. Utah Jazz take Rob Dillingham

*This pick is top-ten protected. If the Jazz slip to 11th or below in the lottery, it will head to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Dillingham is a bucket. The 6’2 guard came off the bench for Kentucky this season where he averaged 15.2 points, 3.9 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.0 steal in 23.3 minutes per game. He shot 47.5 percent from the field and 44.4 percent on his threes as a freshman. Dillingham has already declared for the draft and is ready to take on a new challenge after Kentucky’s disappointing first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament.

The 19-year-old is a top-five prospect on some boards. He is a strong scorer, who is not afraid of the moment. His speed leaps off the screen, and Dillingham’s ball-handling and playmaking give him starter upside. Some fear he will be best as a microwave scorer off the bench, but that is still a strong find in a class filled with uncertainty.

Dillingham’s defense will determine his ceiling. He is listed at 6’2 and 170 pounds. He has a slight build and struggles defending on the ball. Teams will hunt him in the NBA, and his defense could limit his minutes. The physical limitations will exist, but he must improve on this end of the floor to reach his ceiling.

The Utah Jazz need playmaking help and are no strangers to employing score-first guards. Developing him next to Keyonte George could help both their games, even if playing them together remains problematic.