NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of West Virginia of last decade

5. Dikembe Dixson – UIC

Our attention turns to Dixson, a 6’7 forward from Matewan who made his way to Chicago, playing three seasons for the Flames of UIC. Dixson played under coach Steve McClain, who had recently had success as an assistant at Indiana and became one of UIC’s early success stories in McClain’s tenure. Unfortunately, Dixson tore his ACL as a sophomore, missing much of what could have been an impressive season for him and the Flames.

Before that injury, Dixson proved his talent and was one of the best freshmen at the mid-major level. He averaged 19.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, setting career-highs with 40 points and 17 rebounds in a double-overtime loss to Youngstown State. He averaged more than 20 points a game before his leg injury as a sophomore, while his junior year was a solid return from that injury. He helped lead UIC all the way to 3rd place in the Horizon League while putting up just over 14 points a game.

Dixson was named Horizon League Rookie of the Year and Second Team All-Horizon League after a brilliant first season. We’re left wondering what could have happened had he not torn his ACL, because his sophomore season was trending even better than his first. After a solid bounce back as a junior, he declared for the NBA Draft. Though undrafted, Dixson has continued his basketball journey in the G-League and overseas, with his most recent experience coming in Italy.