Eric Dixon didn’t hear his name called in the NBA Draft, but the phone rang soon after.
The Abington native and Villanova forward has signed a two-way deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports.
Dixon averaged 23.3 points per game last year, tops in Division I. He scored 2,314 points in his five seasons on the Main Line, surpassing Kerry Kittles for the program record. Dixon last played in the NCAA Tournament as a sophomore in 2022, reaching the Final Four in Jay Wright’s final season.
In addition to the scoring, Dixon averaged 5.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game last year. He shot 40.7 percent from 3-point range. He stands 6-8, 265 pounds and offensive fits as a stretch four at the next level, but his defensive aptitude for that position is a question.
The Lakers made two trades Thursday, dealing the 55th pick (used on Australian forward Lachlan Olbrich) and a reported $2.5 million in cash to Chicago for the 45th pick. No. 45 then went with cash to Minnesota to get Adou Thiero, the 36th pick. That pick was part of the deal that helped the Suns get St. Joe’s Rasheer Fleming at No. 31 overall.