Rob Dillingham shares hearty snap with Kentucky HC John Calipari during Arkansas matchup: "I don't fear no man"

Modified Jan 29, 2024 14:38 GMT

Kentucky Wildcats maverick guard Rob Dillingham has a unique relationship with his coach, John Calipari, who has been caught on camera both berating and celebrating the young guard's brilliance on the court.

In a recent interview with "Kentucky Sports," Dillingham summarized his relationship with the fiery Kentucky coach.

“I definitely feel way comfortable now,” Dillingham said of his dynamic with Calipari.

“At first, I looked at Coach as more of a celebrity. So, I’d be nervous to say something. But now we have more of a relationship. So, now I know — even if I do mess up — he still might take me out. But he still trusts me to play basketball. So, I don’t really think about anything. I just play.”

Rob Dillingham recently shared a picture of himself and Calipari speaking during a game against Arkansas on Instagram, captioning it:

"Gods my witness, I don't fear no man."

Is John Calipari the perfect coach for Rob Dillingham?

John Calipari has had to deal with the wildly erratic Rob Dillingham patiently, as the guard can be brilliant in games, while at other times, he makes questionable decisions.

After the 87-83 win against North Carolina in December, where Dillingham was both decisive and erratic, Calipari explained how he manages the talented teenager.

“So, you’re coachin’ a kid that can create space and get a basket when he wants to. Do you clip his wings? You can’t. You gotta let him go,” Calipari said.

After the 90-77 win against Missouri earlier this month, Calipari explained in his postgame news conference why he seemed to be berating Dillingham for picking up a needless fourth foul.

“Your body language screams,” Calipari said. “Just come out. … But when you’re the young team that we are, body language is that next thing. It was OK in AAU games to act like, ‘Why’d you take me out?’ You can’t do that now.

"And as you move in this sport, your body language screams. You can’t do it. And that’s why I grabbed him and why I talked to him after. But he knows I love him. I love coaching him. And I gotta take some of the stuff that he does and just. ... He’s as good as they get to go get baskets and get fouled."

With his stock rising in the CBB fraternity, Rob Dillingham still has a long way to go to refine his game and consistency but is playing under the perfect coach to iron out the wrinkles in his game style.