Villanova Basketball 2019-20 Player Preview: Eric Dixon

VUHoops continues our coverage of Villanova Basketball’s 100th Season by previewing the entire Wildcat roster. Be sure to check out all of our coverage including Ten Top 10’s, event coverage, and schedule previews. Check back over the coming weeks as we begin the celebration of 100 years of Villanova Basketball!

Eric Dixon (FR)

Hometown: Abington, PA

High School: Abington High School

Height: 6-7

Weight: 250

Player Preview

Watching tape of incoming freshman big Eric Dixon, it’s easy to reminisce of eras past. Dixon has all the skills we associate with tough-nose, big-man-focused basketball — Exquisite footwork, a diverse set of moves to create separation, and excellent touch around the rim. It’s all very 90’s, until the tape pivots to him stepping out and knocking down threes with ease.

Eric Dixon was Villanova’s first commit in in Jay Wright’s fifth ranked class, giving his verbal way back in April of 2018. Dixon, who is classified as a center on some sites and a forward on others, is ranked 69th in his class and chose ‘Nova over the likes of Virginia, Georgetown, Temple, Oklahoma St., and Penn St., among others. Outside of the top-100 until March of 2018, Dixon’s prolific junior year and participation in the USA Men’s Junior National Team October Minicamp vaulted him into the upper-echelon of prospects.

At Abington High, Dixon set numerous records and received so many accolades that listing them would double the length of this preview. As a senior, the 6-7 center averaged 27.6 points per game and became the first in Abington school history to score over 2,000 points.

If you had to pick one word to describe Eric Dixon’s game: Smooth. Despite coming in at 6-7, 250 lbs, Dixon moves well and has excellent footwork. He frequently overpowers defenders with his size and strength, and can maneuver around opponents with more length using spins, pumps, and creative finishes. When surrounded, Dixon shows the wherewithal to make the right decision, displaying excellent vision around the rim in finding cutters.

Also, my guy has an absolutely killer hashtag worked out: #CantGuardRic

Best Case Scenario

Jay Wright has displayed time and again that a recruit’s ranking no longer matters once they arrive on campus. In an ideal scenario, Dixon could outplay his freshmen and sophomore counterparts and slot into 10-15 minutes per game behind the likes of Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree, Jermaine Samuels, and Saddiq Bey.

Worst Case Scenario

Finding a spot in Jay Wright’s notoriously short rotation will be tricky in Villanova’s crowded frontcourt. DCR, Samuels, and Bey will be at the top of the pecking order, and freshman Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Sophomore Cole Swider will have an initial advantage over Dixon. In a less-than-ideal scenario, Dixon features in about half the games, only getting a few minutes at a time.

Wisdom of the Crowds

We are pleased to bring back our Wisdom of Crowds experiment for the 2019-20 season. In this series, we ask that you consider the points covered in our player preview to supplement your own personal insights and instincts to predict the points per game each scholarship player on the roster we score in the upcoming season.