Cavaliers Eye Skilled Frontcourt Depth with Versatile Big in Pre-Draft Workout

With less than two weeks to go until the 2025 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been doing their due diligence lately, running through an extensive list of pre-draft workouts.

After Cleveland Cavaliers on SI learned that the Cavaliers worked out Alabama forward Grant Nelson in Cleveland on June 12, our own Spencer Davies has confirmed that Villanova forward Eric Dixon was also part of the Cavaliers' pre-draft workouts on June 12, adding further intrigue to who could be in the mix for one of Cleveland's second-round selections.

Dixon, who finished his collegiate career as Villanova's all-time leading scorer, is a physical player who uses his gifts to impact the game while never disrupting his team's flow, making him an intriguing prospect in Kenny Atkinson's system.

When attacking on the interior, Dixon routinely showcases his soft touch and ability to score through contact. But if opposing defenses wall off the interior, Dixon has shown the ability to score on mid-range and three-point attempts as well, making him a true three-level scorer for his position.

🔥 Is Eric Dixon the most slept-on star in the NBA Combine?

The NCAA leading scorer:
- Elite spot-up: 1.12 PPP, 83rd percentile
- Unlimited range: 12 threes from 25+ ft
- Deadly from above the break: 52% FG

Villanova’s finest is ready for the league.\V/ pic.twitter.com/zWu3Gxzf50
— Villanova Enthusiast 😺 (@NovaKnowsBall) May 16, 2025

Beyond his scoring, Dixon is also more than comfortable doing the dirty work to help his team win. Throughout his time at Villanova, it was clear Dixon was comfortable doing all the little things on top of shouldering the scoring load. Whether it was setting screens, boxing out, rebounding, or fighting for positioning, whatever his team needed, Dixon showed he was capable of handling it.

However, while he's beyond talented offensively, there are concerns about Dixon's defensive game at the NBA level. While he's been strong enough to out-muscle opponents, Dixon isn't explosively physically. Combine that with only measuring out at 6'8 and he could be picked apart by teams that force him to switch on smaller, speedier competition.

Regardless of those defensive concerns, Dixon remains an intriguing prospect for the Cavaliers. He showcases all the signs of a floor-spacing big man in a similar vein to a poor man's Julius Randle. If given time to develop into that, Dixon would be a staple in Cleveland's rotation behind Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley and give the Cavaliers a more permanent option for their backup big man.