Topic: Juan Dixon

Juan Dixon (born October 9, 1978 in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.) is an American professional basketball player currently with the NBA's Washington Wizards.

Dixon rebounded from a traumatic childhood to make the NBA. Both his mother, Juanita, and father, Phil, were heroin addicts, and died of AIDS-related illnesses before Dixon was 17 years old. He was then raised by his grandparents Roberta and Warnick Graves in Baltimore, Maryland. Dixon went on to lead the University of Maryland Terrapins to their first NCAA title in 2002 and earned Most Outstanding Player honors at the Final Four.

Dixon played high school basketball at Calvert Hall College High School in Baltimore and scored 1,590 career points under the tutelage of legendary Baltimore Catholic League head coach Mark Amatucci. He attended the University of Maryland, College Park and became Maryland's all-time scoring leader when he scored 29 points against Wisconsin to help Maryland advance to the Sweet Sixteen, passing Len Bias (2,149 points). He also became the only player in NCAA history to accumulate 2,000 points, 300 steals and 200 three-point field goals. He led the Maryland Terrapins to their first NCAA Men's Basketball Championship in his senior year in 2002. Playing under coach Gary Williams, the 6' 3", 164 lb Dixon was able to overcome adversity and his small frame and became recognized as one of the nation's best college players and was honored as the 2002 ACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year and ACC Athlete of the Year. Coach Williams stated that "Juan just has the heart of a tiger, which separates him from the rest of the players in the country". After his senior season, Dixon was featured on the cover of a video game, NCAA Final Four.