NBA Draft 2026: Labaron Philon goes 22nd to the Philadelphia 76ers
· Yahoo Sports
Alabama has had plenty of success in March over the past couple of seasons, but hadn’t had a player taken in the NBA Draft since 2023.
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That changed tonight.
Labaron Philon, coming off of an All-American and first-team SEC campaign, heard his name called in the first round as the Philadelphia 76ers selected him with the 22nd overall pick.
Here’s what NBA.com has to say about what the Sixers are getting:
Analysis
With elite shooting splits and dynamic playmaking, Philon’s skill set is perfect for the NBA. He’s shifty for his size and nearly always got past the first defender in college. From there, he was willing to find open teammates or take matters into his own hands, reading defensive coverages like a veteran. He’ll need to bulk up to maintain his offensive efficiency against NBA opponents, and how effective he can be defensively is still a major question mark. However, the offensive skills are impossible to ignore, and after a breakout sophomore campaign, it’s possible he’s just tapping into his potential.
Projection
Philon will likely be a lottery pick, but he may not have as high of a floor as the top players in the 2026 draft class. The do-it-all offensive toolkit with question marks defensively is not a unique prospect prototype, but the pace at which Philon plays makes him stand out. His herky-jerky dribble moves to get into the paint have drawn comparisons to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but Philon is a couple of inches shorter than the reigning two-time MVP. Philon’s ability to play both guard spots is more akin to Mike Conley, Darius Garland and Dennis Schroder, who’ve all had varying degrees of success in the NBA.
Philon grew substantially as a shooter in his second season at Alabama, and will need to continue to improve in that area. A bit slight at 6’2.5″ and 176 lbs. per combine measurements, he will have a chance to fill out and has shown ability as a defender if not consistency. What we know for certain is that he can get to the rim. It will be exciting to see how he grows.
Roll Tide.