Latest news with #EricDixon
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lakers Turn Heads With Move Immediately After NBA Draft
Lakers Turn Heads With Move Immediately After NBA Draft originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Los Angeles Lakers waited a long time to make a pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. They didn't have a first-round selection, but they traded up to No. 36 on Thursday to get Arkansas forward Adou Thiero. Advertisement Los Angeles still needs a starting center, but it has several months to figure that out before opening night in October. The team traded Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic in February and has had a hole in the frontcourt ever since. It also agreed to acquire Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets shortly after, but it nixed the deal after he failed his physical. The Lakers made another move right after the draft on Thursday, via ESPN's Shams Charania. Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images "Villanova star Eric Dixon has agreed to a two-way NBA contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN," he reported. "Dixon was the No. 1 scorer in college basketball last season, shooting 41% from 3-point range." Advertisement The 6-foot-8-inch, 265-pounder averaged 23.1 points on 45.1 percent shooting with 5.1 rebounds across 34.7 minutes for the Wildcats last season. Fans had mixed reactions on social media. "Lakers fans gonna say he's better than [Jayson] Tatum now," one said. "How was he undrafted then?" one asked. "How did he go that low in the draft if he was hooping like that?" another one asked. "Lakers got a SNIPER!" another said. "Ring us I've seen enough," another said. "NOT GONNA SAVE THEM," another said. Dixon played five seasons at Villanova and became a full-time starter in 2021-22. Related: NBA Fans React to Lakers-Timberwolves Trade Related: Warriors NBA Champion Emerges as Potential Lakers Target This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lakers have signed three more undrafted free agents
On Thursday, the Los Angeles Lakers made what could eventually turn out to be a significant addition. They traded the No. 55 pick in the NBA draft and cash to the Chicago Bulls for the No. 45 pick, and they then flipped that No. 45 pick for the draft rights to University of Arkansas forward Adou Thiero, who was the No. 36 selection. After the second round of the draft ended on Thursday, the Lakers continued to go to work by scooping up some undrafted players as free agents. They signed Villanova University forward Eric Dixon, who led the NCAA in scoring this past season, to a two-way contract, and they also added guard RJ Davis, guard Augustas Marčiulionis and forward Arthur Kaluma to Exhibit 10 contracts. Advertisement Three more undrafted players are joining the Purple and Gold: Ethan Taylor, TY Johnson and Julian Reese. Taylor is 6-feet-5 and 205 pounds and averaged 13.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists a game while hitting 38.4% from 3-point range this past season for the Air Force. He's a high-volume 3-point shooter who ended his four-year college career with an accuracy of 36.6% from that distance. Johnson is a 6-foot-3, 190-pound guard who spent the last three seasons at the University of California, Davis after playing for Loyola University Chicago as a freshman. He's a poor 3-point shooter, but he may have some potential on the defensive end after averaging 1.8 steals a game throughout his college career. Reese stands 6-feet-9 and weighs 252 pounds. He spent four seasons at the University of Maryland and registered 13.3 points on 55.5% field-goal shooting, 9.0 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals a game this past season. Advertisement He is the younger brother of Angel Reese, the budding star of the WNBA's Chicago Sky. This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers have signed three more undrafted free agents
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lakers Sign NCAA's Leading Scorer in Surprise Post-Draft Move
Lakers Sign NCAA's Leading Scorer in Surprise Post-Draft Move originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Los Angeles Lakers only had one pick in the 2025 NBA draft, but they certainly made the two-night event count. Advertisement Initially set to select at No. 55, the Lakers made a series of moves to climb up the board—first to No. 45, and then ultimately landing the No. 36 pick in the second round, where they selected athletic two-way wing Adou Thiero from the Arkansas Razorbacks. While that was their lone selection, the Lakers were highly active in the undrafted free agent market, which featured several notable names. Los Angeles quickly agreed to an Exhibit-10 deal with North Carolina star RJ Davis, one of the most recognizable players in college basketball in recent years. They also made a splash by signing Villanova's Eric Dixon—the nation's leading scorer last season—to a two-way contract. Eric Dixon averaged an impressive 23.3 points per game last season, shooting 45.1% from the field and a stellar 40.7% from 3-point range. He also added 5.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per contest. Advertisement Dixon, who spent his entire college career at Villanova, now joins a Lakers organization renowned for developing undrafted talent. He's expected to have a strong opportunity to showcase his skills in the upcoming Summer League—alongside fellow newcomer Davis—on a roster that will feature Bronny James. Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick.© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images All that said, if there's one thing the Lakers have learned over the past few years, it's that post-draft talent can offer real value. Just look at Austin Reaves and Alex Caruso—both went undrafted and have carved out impactful NBA careers. Reaves is now on the brink of a major long-term deal with the Lakers, while Caruso, who won his first NBA title with L.A. in 2020, recently earned his second championship with the Oklahoma City Thunder and has established himself as one of the league's top defenders. Advertisement Related: John Calipari Sends Strong Message About Lakers' Second-Round Draft Pick This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Lakers are signing Arthur Kaluma to Exhibit 10 contract
The Los Angeles Lakers made a couple of moves on Thursday that netted them the draft rights to Adou Thiero, an athletic 6-foot-8 wing from the University of Arkansas who was the No. 36 pick in the draft. But they weren't done. They got Eric Dixon, a 6-foot-8 forward from Villanova University who led the NCAA in scoring this past season, to agree to a two-way contract. In addition, they got guard Augustas Marčiulionis and guard RJ Davis to agree to Exhibit 10 contracts. Los Angeles also scooped up Arthur Kaluma from the University of Texas on an Exhibit 10 deal. Kaluma is originally from Boston and spent his childhood in multiple locations, including Glendale, Ariz., where he went to Dream City Christian School. After signing his National Letter of Intent to play at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he ended up starting his college career at Creighton University. He transferred to Kansas State University for his junior season before playing for the Longhorns this past season. He averaged double figures in scoring in all four of his seasons in the NCAA and topped out at 14.4 points a game during the 2023-24 campaign. This past season, he put up 12.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game and shot 46.2% from the field and 35.9% from 3-point range. At 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds, he has a seven-foot wingspan and could potentially play both forward positions at the next level.
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Lakers sign Tar Heels guard RJ Davis to Exhibit 10 contract
After the 2025 NBA Draft concluded on Thursday, the Los Angeles Lakers continued to put in work by picking up some undrafted players. They got Eric Dixon, a forward from Villanova University who led the NCAA in scoring this past season, to agree to a two-way contract, and they also brought in Saint Mary's College guard Augustas Marčiulionis, the son of Hall of Famer Šarūnas Marčiulionis, on an Exhibit 10 contract. Los Angeles also got RJ Davis, a guard out of the University of North Carolina, on an Exhibit 10 deal as well after he went undrafted. He played all five of his seasons in the NCAA with the Tar Heels and was the ACC Player of the Year in 2024. Davis, who is a native of suburban New York City, is a speedy guard who averaged 17.2 points and 3.6 assists a game this past season. He is a decent outside shooter who made 36.7% of his 5.6 3-point attempts a game for his career, but his strong suit is attacking the rim and finishing. He's also an outstanding free throw shooter who made 86.1% of his foul shots in his five years with the Tar Heels.
