Eric Dixon’s looming decision is a tale of modern college sports. Here’s why he may be back at Villanova.

Just a few years ago, this wouldn’t be a conversation. Eric Dixon would have finished his 2023-24 season at Villanova, completed his master’s certificate in education, and moved on to his professional basketball career without thinking twice about using his extra season of eligibility from the pandemic. He was a key piece during the 2022 Final Four run and the latest, possibly the last, example of the old Villanova Way — going from redshirt to college star.

Dixon is 23 and will turn 24 in January. He has an undergraduate degree in history to pair with that upcoming master’s certificate. He doesn’t need to be in college anymore. In fact, it’s fair to say he probably doesn’t want to be in college anymore.

Instead, Dixon is faced with a modern college basketball dilemma. The Abington High grad entered his name in the NBA draft process April 13 and posted a message on Instagram that basically bid adieu to Villanova. Getting drafted, however, seems unlikely for Dixon, an undersized center at 6-foot-8 with little experience playing power forward.

He was not invited to the NBA draft combine, and he was left off the list of invitees to the G League Elite Camp. (Mark Armstrong, who is staying in the draft process and not returning to Villanova, was invited to the G League camp.) That means it remains possible that Dixon gets no real assurances from any of the NBA’s 30 teams on a guaranteed two-way contract, which pay, at maximum, around $550,000. It’s likely Dixon would make less than that if he makes the jump.

The reality for Dixon, the Big 5 player of the year, is not an uncommon one these days in high-level college sports. He stands to make more money returning to Villanova through name, image, and likeness compensation than he does by going pro. A lot more.

» READ MORE: Tim Delaney arrived at ‘Nova with Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo. After a hip replacement, he aims to play again.

“I’ve never been a big-on-money type of guy,” Dixon said Wednesday afternoon. He was at the airport in Dallas heading for San Antonio, where he was slated to work out for the Spurs on Thursday.

“Obviously it has an impact,” he said. “I’m not going to act like I’m immune to it. But I’ve really tried not to focus on that throughout this whole process.”

The timeline for Dixon’s decision is getting shorter. He has spent a lot of time since Villanova’s season ended on March 20 at the Sports Academy outside Dallas in Frisco, Texas. Most days are spent at the facility from around 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., training both on and off the court and going through some recovery afterward. There’s some schoolwork involved, too. Dixon said he had a paper to finish Wednesday night after he landed in San Antonio.

Dixon, Villanova’s leading scorer this past season at 16.6 points per game, will hold a pro day after the combines next week. It’s likely his team, including agent Darrell Comer of Tandem Sports & Entertainment, will have an understanding of where things stand then.

There was disappointment, of course, in not being selected for either camp, but Dixon said the process has been “interesting.”

He’s gotten some positive feedback, too.

“They like the versatility that I bring and the toughness that I bring,” Dixon said. “Obviously they like the program that I come from. It’s a strong program with a good culture, and they like that I’ve been here. They like my story, going from redshirt to a starter and going through the hard times and getting through those. They like my character and they like what I’m about.”

Those things are all good traits, but enough to sign a player to a guaranteed contract? It does only take one team, but the possibility of those guarantees existing remains unclear, and time is ticking.

Dixon allowed the transfer portal window to close May 1 without entering his name, confirming it was pro hoops or Villanova for 2024-25. Dixon and Comer did meet with Villanova ahead of that deadline to get an understanding of the package being offered to Dixon if he were to return to the Wildcats for a sixth year of college and a fifth year playing college basketball.

“It’s nice to know that I have another option and that I’m not stuck, per se, if things don’t necessarily go my way over the next week or few weeks,” Dixon said. “And it helps that it’s a place that I’m familiar with and it’s close to home with family and friends on top of the NIL aspect of it all.”

» READ MORE: VCU transfer Max Shulga gives Villanova playmaking and shooting as its roster continues to take shape

Dixon said the Villanova staff has been supportive in the process, not pressuring him to make a decision quickly. The Wildcats have added talent in the transfer portal at the guard position and have lost some, too. Dixon’s return would be a big boon as coach Kyle Neptune continues to rebuild a roster capable of being in the NCAA Tournament conversation. The Wildcats have four open scholarships without him and three with him.

Voices, there are plenty right now. All of them are doing a “good job of just allowing me to be me,” Dixon said.

“Obviously the focus is on trying to be the best pro that I can be, whether the opportunity to have the best professional career comes by going back to school or by coming out right now, just really trying to weigh out what’s going to impact me best for the next six to eight years as opposed to the next one.”

Thanks to NIL, the next one has a lot more power to set up the years that follow.