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Eric Dixon, heart and soul of the Villanova men's basketball team, is destined for the NBA

Is Eric Dixon destined for the NBA? Villanova basketball coach Kyle Neptune believes so
Is Eric Dixon destined for the NBA? Villanova basketball coach Kyle Neptune believes so 02:12

Eric Dixon is 6 feet 8 inches tall, 265 pounds and has the green light to shoot the ball. 

The Villanova graduate student forward is the nation's leading scorer in men's college hoops and he's working to become one of the all-time great Wildcats. 

"I try not to think about it," Dixon said. "Obviously, you see it everywhere, I try to ignore it. I just try to win games."

Villanova men's basketball coach Kyle Neptune said Dixon is the heart and soul of their team. Dixon is averaging a career-high 25.3 points per game this season. 

In the offseason, Dixon declared for the NBA draft but decided to return to Villanova.

"The draft process was a great process," Dixon said. "Got to learn a lot about the game, how the game is played, how different players approach the game."

Villanova v Butler
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JANUARY 1: Eric Dixon #43 of the Villanova Wildcats drives to the basket against Jahmyl Telfort #11 of the Butler Bulldogs at Hinkle Fieldhouse on January 1, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Michael Hickey / Getty Images

"He's a guy that has rapidly improved over his career," Neptune said. "Now he's become one of the best players in the country – if not the best player in the country."

Dixon arrived on campus in 2019, so this is his sixth year with the program. So much has changed since then. He arrived on campus before the pandemic and before college basketball players could get paid for their name, image and likeness (NIL). 

"It's definitely been an interesting route for Eric Dixon, going through so many different eras of college basketball in such a short time," Neptune said. "I don't know if there's ever been a more — I don't want to say turbulent because that has a negative connotation — but such a time with so many changes."

"I'm grateful for it," Dixon said. "This is a special place and it still feels that way. From the moment I got here until right now. Yeah, things are changing, but this place is going to be special no matter what."

The Big 5 has been shut out of the NCAA Tournament for two straight years, but Dixon said the relationships he's building at Villanova are more important.

"For me, I just want the guys on the team to have pride in the place," Dixon said. "If that leads us to get to the NCAA Tournament that's great but at the end of the day if they leave with a teammate, a friend, a brother they can call that for the rest of their life — that's just as good."

There's still a lot to accomplish before the lights go out on Dixon's college career, but he's hoping his game translates to the next level.

"Of course, I want to be in the NBA, of course, it's been a dream of mine since I was four years old," Dixon said. 

"I think without a doubt Eric Dixon is an NBA player," Neptune said. "Guys like that you root for and you realize why they have the success that they do."

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