Eric Dixon Lands On Karl Malone Award Watchlist

Villanova forward Eric Dixon leads the nation with an average of 23.8 points scored per game, vaulting himself into the mix for national recognition in the form of the Wooden and Oscar Robertson Awards, each given to the most outstanding men’s college basketball player in the country each season. He’s also starting to creep into the picture as a potential second round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Now he’s in the running for the Karl Malone Award — making the midseason top ten watchlist — given to the best power forward in the country. Currently in his sixth season with Villanova, Dixon, 24, joined the Wildcats ahead of the 2019-2020 season, taking a redshirt year. He began to work his way into the lineup the following season before emerging as a starter during the 2021-22 Final Four run.

Playing on the wing as much as he does the traditional power forward role, Dixon’s 44.8 percent clip from three-point range ranks 11th best in the country… and he’s the first forward to make the list. Despite his excellence, Eric Dixon will face stiff competition in winning the Karl Malone Award. Auburn’s Johni Broome and UConn’s Alex Karaban are the likely frontrunners, although they’ve both missed some time with injuries.

Other players on the list include Norchad Omier (Baylor), Tyson Degenhart (Boise State), Graham Ike (Gonzaga), Danny Wolf (Michigan), Michael Rataj (Oregon State), JT Toppin (Texas Tech) and Yaxel Lendeborg (UAB).