Villanova in the Pros: Summer League Growing Pains

Villanova graduates Eric Dixon, Duke Brennan and Devin Askew have participated in NBA Summer League action over the past two weeks, trying to make their case for a roster spot after going undrafted.

Dixon, the Wildcats men’s team’s all-time leading scorer, took up with the Utah Jazz after spending last season in the Charlotte Hornets’ and Memphis Grizzlies’ organizations. The 6-foot-7, 260 pound forward is the best NBA prospect of the three, but he’s struggled to make shots across four games played (one start), going a combined 11-for-34. To make up for his shooting, Dixon is averaging 4.5 rebounds across 19.5 minutes per game, demonstrating how he can use his size down low.

Brennan, who stands 6-foot-10, has established himself as a rebounding machine, including three boards in four minutes on July 10; his playing time tailed off over the past week, with just two appearances and seven total minutes over four scheduled games, but he put up a 10 point, 12 rebound double-double during his lone start on July 5.

Much like Dixon, Brennan has endured plenty of growing pains, committing four turnovers and three fouls in 15 minutes off the bench on July 4, his first professional action. Askew has 20 minutes played across three games, amassing five assists and three turnovers in his last two appearances as he works as more of a distributor than a scorer.

Other former Villanova players active in the Summer League include Tyler Burton, who made his NBA debut with Memphis this past season, and former transfers TJ Bamba, Lance Ware and Brendan Hausen. Undrafted free agents face an uphill battle toward an NBA roster spot, but recent Wildcats’ products like Collin Gillespie managed to defy the odds.