Eric Dixon could follow in Austin Reaves’ successful footsteps.
The Los Angeles Lakers have become one of the standard-setting franchises for maximizing the abilities of undrafted free agents.
It’s a unique skill that has enabled Los Angeles to circumvent the cost of investing heavily in star-caliber talent.
No player is a greater example of the Lakers’ success in that regard than Austin Reaves—and Eric Dixon may represent the continuation of that success.
Los Angeles moved up at the 2025 NBA Draft to select promising forward Adou Thiero. Its activity was far from over, however, as it was revealed that the Lakers had made their next move mere minutes after the final pick was made.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Lakers have signed Dixon to a two-way contract that could see the nation’s leading scorer join a long line of undrafted free agent success stories.
Dixon and Reaves are by no means identical players, but the Villanova star could follow in the latter’s footsteps as undrafted free agents turned standout Lakers players.
Lakers’ decorated history with UDFAs may continue with Eric Dixon
Los Angeles signed Reaves as an undrafted free agent in 2021. In the four seasons that have followed, he’s become one of the fastest-rising stars at the guard positions, thriving as both a scorer and facilitator, and helping the Lakers reach the 2023 Western Conference Finals.
In 2024-25, Reaves posted career-best averages of 20.2 points, 5.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 2.7 three-point field goals made per game.
Los Angeles also signed Scotty Pippen Jr. as an undrafted free agent in 2022—just two years before he began to break out with the Memphis Grizzlies. It also found a quality big in Jay Huff in 2021, who has since gone on to play quality minutes for the Grizzlies, as well.
Perhaps the greatest example of undrafted free agent success in Los Angeles, however, is Alex Caruso—a player who admittedly played a season in the G League before the Lakers brought him aboard to lock opponents down during their championship season in 2020.
Dixon has the tools to follow in those players’ footsteps and secure a place in JJ Redick’s rotation long term. He’s coming off of a season in which he led all Division I players in scoring at 23.3 points per game, and he did so while shooting at a remarkable clip of .451/.407/.813.
An elite three-point shooting forward who stands at 6’7.5″ and 259 pounds with a 6’11.5″ wingspan, Dixon could be a high-level stretch 4 who finds a reliable place on the defensive end of the floor.
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports made two compelling pre-draft upside comparisons for Dixon: Glen Davis and former Lakers lottery pick Julius Randle.
Dixon is a better shooter than both, but it’s understandable why he was compared to two other powerful hybrid forwards who can impose their will but seemingly prefer to shoot jumpers.
If the Lakers can develop Dixon in the way they brought along the long list of past undrafted free agents turned quality NBA players, he could very well live up to the hype.
