$765,000 NIL-valued Robert Dillingham celebrates coach John Calipari’s 400th victory at Kentucky after thrashing Mississippi State 90-77
Hitting a coaching milestone, head coach John Calipari clinched his 400th win guiding the Wildcats as #8 Kentucky tamed #22 Mississippi State 90-77. Commemorating the history-making night on social media, guard Robert Dillingham tipped his cap to his coach's crowning achievement.
The player took to his Instagram stories and reshared a post by the Kentucky Men's Basketball team's official account congratulating Calipari on his 400th win at the helm.
After helping Kentucky defeat Mississippi State, Dillingham was asked what it meant to be a part of coach Calipari’s 400th win at Kentucky.
“Definitely happy. I’m proud of Coach Cal. I’m thankful for him because he helps me so much ... He teaches me, he pushes me to be the best," the 19-year-old said.
Calipari became the third-fastest active coach to achieve that with a program, doing so in 516 contests. Bill Self reached 400 wins in 484 games with Kansas, and Mark Few hit 400 in 499 outings at Gonzaga.
Ever the stoic leader, Calipari characteristically deflected praise for his latest feat.
"You stay long enough and you have enough really good players, a lot of those things happen," the coach said.
Dillingham aided the Wildcats with his 16-point performance. The freshman guard's 10 first-half points set the tone, guiding Kentucky to a win and helping Calipari to make history.
Dillingham made an instant impact for the Wildcats, putting up 14.5 points and 4.1 assists per outing. Ever since the 19-year-old phenom set foot on Kentucky's campus, his draft stock has skyrocketed. With his scoring punch, Dillingham is cementing his status as a coveted NBA prospect. If he continues his rapid development, expect to hear his name called early when the 2024 draft arrives.
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Robert Dillingham has an NIL deal with Naomi Osaka's brand
Robert Dillingham, who has an NIL value of around $765,000 according to On3, inked a deal with tennis great Naomi Osaka’s suncare brand KINLO before even playing for Kentucky. The talented freshman boasts exceptional social media influence with 557,000 Instagram followers and 284,500 TikTok fans.
KINLO announced NIL deals last August with five college athletes, including Dillingham. Others were UNC basketball's Deja Kelly, UCLA soccer's Reilyn Turner, Stanford beach volleyball's Xolani Hodel and Michigan track & field's Ziyah Leigh Holman.
Dillingham gained the backing of Osaka as the only male athlete signed by her brand.
When his partnership with KINLO was announced, Robert Dillingham expressed how honored and excited he felt to partner with the tennis legend.
“I’m truly honored to partner with Naomi and be part of this campaign. For me, NIL is about building authentic partnerships with brands that stand for things that I care about—KINLO’s mission is a perfect example of that, and Naomi is someone I respect as an athlete and individual.”
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