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Q&A: Decision day approaching for five-star Robert Dillingham

One of the most high-profile recruitments in the country will be coming to an end soon. Five-star Rob Dillingham told reporters at the EYBL stop in Louisville to expect an announcement “in the next few weeks”. The former NC State pledge is focusing on a handful of schools in the final stages.

Rivals’ Travis Graf and David Sisk compiled a Q&A covering all of the top questions surrounding Rob and his decision as he heads down the stretch.

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Q: What schools are on your radar right now?

Dillingham: "Lately I've been talking to Memphis, Kentucky, Louisville, and USC recently, and Arkansas, but a little bit of Arkansas. That's been the most recent like five I've been talking to."

Q: Yesterday (Sunday) you said the process was kind of winding down a little bit. Why do you want to get it over within the next couple of weeks?

Dillingham: "I'm pretty sure I'm ready to make a decision, because it's never too early, never too late. I feel like I'm ready, and I feel like the program I'm going to choose is a good fit for me."

Q: With you making a decision coming soon would a reclass be on the table or are you straight 2023?

Dillingham: "Nah, I'm probably not going to reclass, because I'm a smaller guard, and I want to be able to go into college and dominate. So I'm going to use the offseason heavily to get bigger and workout."

Q: Who do you talk to at Louisville?

Dillingham: "I talk to Coach Nolan (Smith) and Coach Kenny (Payne)."

Q: What do they say to you?

Dillingham: "Really it's the same thing like just become an impact player as soon as I walk in, and then D.J. (Wagner) has some interest in going there too, so it's the same thing with D.J. also."

Q: Would you be open to playing with D.J. at either Louisville or Kentucky?

Dillingham: "Yeah for sure, because like I feel like I'm an unselfish player. I can play with anyone and adapt to how they play. He's a bucket. Like playing with Aden (Holloway). It's the same thing. I let him hoop, so I feel like I can play with anyone who is like a smart guard honestly."

Q: What about Memphis? What's that like?

Dillingham: "I just love Coach Penny (Hardaway). I ain't going to lie. He's a good dude, and he's done it before. It's like you've got to listen to him. He was one of the best point guards of all-time."

Q: What are your goals in college? What do you see yourself being when you get to that level?

Dillingham: "I definitely see myself being a top point guard in college, and definitely getting deep into March Madness. That's my goal, because I feel like I already know I'm going to get drafted. I'm going to put in the work. I promise. It's really just the fact of the accolades coming to the school, so winning helps your draft stock."

Q: Would the G-League or Overtime be an option for you at this point?

Dillingham: "I mean not really, because I'm really looking forward to going to college. I feel like that was what was meant for me, going to college. That's what people have been doing in the past, and I've been growing up wanting to do that my whole life."

Q: Plus you're getting NIL also.

Dillingham: "Yeah, NIL is crazy for sure."

Q: Are you going to be going back to Donda?

Dillingham: "Yes sir I am."

Q: There is a date floating around for your commitment. Is that set in stone?

Dillingham: "Yeah, I've seen that. That's not set in stone for sure. I don't know how they got that exact date. Maybe it will be around that time, but I'm not sure of an exact date. I could definitely push it back. Maybe like next month some time."

Q: What are the main points of emphasis that you're looking for in the school you're going to choose?

Dillingham: "Being able to win, and being on a winning team, and a team whose players make me better, so I can go to the NBA in one year. That's really my goal, and the college I talk to I ask them if that's their goal too. They said as long as I put in the work that can be my goal."

Q: There has been so much back and forth in the first recruitment and how it unfolded with the de-commitment. Is it going to be kind of a relief to get it over with and close that chapter?

Dillingham: "Yeah, for sure, because like I really didn't want to de-commit. I kind of like N.C. State. I wanted to stay home. It was just like the recruits coming in with me we didn't have a lot of recruits. They wanted me to reclass up, so it was just a lot. So for sure, it will definitely feel like a lot has been taken off."

Q: How would you want to make an announcement? Would you want to do just like a graphic, a video, ESPN?

Dillingham: Nah, I've already got my announcement set. Y'all are going to like it. It's going to be lit for sure.'


RIVALS' REACTION 

Dillingham is one of the most highly touted prospects in the 2023 class and for good reason. He brings a lot to the table every time he’s on the floor, whether it be elusive ball-handling ability, multi-level scoring, or swagger. I put in a FutureCast for Kentucky a couple of days ago, as I don’t think assistant coach Chin Coleman will let this one slip through his fingers twice.


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