If you led the nation in scoring last season, then you are guaranteed to be at least a 2nd-round pick in the NBA Draft, right? Well, that was not the case for Eric Dixon. The 2025 NBA Draft had several surprising moments, but one of the biggest surprises was the Villanova star going undrafted! While there were concerns about some areas of his game, and being one of the oldest prospects did not work in his favor, Dixon was still projected to be a mid to late second-round pick. Therefore, the snub would have hurt. Fortunately, Eric Dixon’s story did not end with that.

Only a few hours after the draft concluded, it was reported that the 24-year-old had signed a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. However, as seen with Quincy Olivari, undrafted players do not get the same type of contract as the others. Therefore, without any further ado, let us know more about this deal under which the power forward has signed on.

What is Eric Dixon’s contract?

ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news by reporting that “Villanova star Eric Dixon has agreed to a two-way NBA contract with the Los Angeles Lakers”. Unfortunately, no financial details of that contract have yet been revealed.

The concept of Two-Way Contracts was first established during the 2017-18 NBA season. Players signed under it reportedly get to split their time between their respective NBA teams and their G-League affiliate. In fact, according to guidelines, players under two-way contracts cannot play more than 50 regular-season games. They are completely restricted from playing even a single playoff game, too! Therefore, Eric Dixon will also have to play several, or the majority of his games, for the South Bay Lakers. This concept allows teams to not only have more players at their disposal but also have their choice of pick on which squad member they would like to promote/demote to the main lineup.

The difference in salary for drafted players depends on which position they were picked at, with the No. 1 pick usually earning the most. All of them, however, would usually earn more than the minimum rookie salary limit set by the NBA. Meanwhile, players under two-way contracts earn HALF of the minimum limit. The minimum NBA salary for the 2024-25 season was $1.157 million, meaning the two-way salary limit would have been around $578,500. On top of that, two-way players are ineligible to receive any performance bonuses. This is what awaits Eric Dixon for the upcoming season.

Two-way contracts provide a benefit to NBA teams. Through it, they can take in players without additional cost being added to the salary cap. Unfortunately, since two-way deals are not counted against the salary cap, NBA teams can often opt to rotate players even before the regular season begins. Therefore, Eric Dixon’s spot on the Lakers is not guaranteed, and he might end up being shifted or waived before getting to play even a single game!

Fortunately, the Lakers might not be willing to cut ties with Eric Dixon without letting him play. After all, the player left a memorable impression during his collegiate season that might work well in his favor.

How did Eric Dixon perform with the Villanova Wildcats?

Eric Dixon might be among the most experienced collegiate players to be a part of the Lakers franchise. After all, he played not 1, not 2, but 5 seasons for the Villanova Wildcats!

Throughout 162 games, Dixon started in 141 of them. He averaged 14.3 points overall, along with 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists. The past season was his best, as he averaged 23.3 points along with 5.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists. On the shooting front, he averaged 7.7-17.1 (45.1%) field goals, 2.9-7.2 (40.7%) 3-pointers, and 5.0-6.1 (81.3%) free throws in his final season. The 23.3 points average allowed Dixon to be the NCAA’s leading scorer last season. On top of that, he was also named as an AP Third Team All-American and as an NABC Third Team All-American. Dixon retired as Villanova’s Men’s Basketball all-time leading scorer (2,314 points), breaking the previous record established by Kerry Kittles (1992–1996).

Dixon, without a doubt, brings some major scoring prowess. However, he is not that good on the defensive front. Given his 6-foot-8 stature and 260-pound weight, Dixon might be relied upon to log minutes at center. After all, the Lakers’ issue on the Center front has been well-covered over the last few months. The player is efficient with floor spacing and touch, and could make good use of it. On top of that, his shooting could make him a rotational piece for the Lakers, thereby providing some added depth on the wing.

Given all these advantages, Eric Dixon can thrive with the Los Angeles Lakers even with a two-way contract. Who knows, if he does well, then the team might provide him with a proper contract too!