Philly Front Office

NOTE: It’s late, I’ll clean this up tomorrow.

Labaron Philon was not supposed to be there for the Sixers at #22. I figured the team would be after wing players, but with Philon still around, they almost had to take him (or Cameron Carr). Why? Because Philon is really F’n good. Let’s dive in.

NBA Draft 2026 LIVE

Who is Labaron Philon?

Philon is a sophomore out of Alabama. That’s where he grew up and that’s where he went to college. He was the 32nd ranked recruit nationally coming out of high school and ultimately chose the Crimson Tide over Auburn and Kentucky. While he showed flashes as a freshman and originally declared for the NBA Draft, he later decided to go back to school where he blew up as a sophomore. This past season he averaged 22 points and 5 assists per game, shooting close to 80% form the line on 6 attempts per game and 40% from 3, also on 6 attempts per game. He is a legitimate 3 level scorer.

At the NBA Combine, Philon measured 6’2.5″ without shoes with a 6’6″ wingspan and weighed 176 pounds. He can shoot and has moves to spare. Philon is a true lead guard who looks just as natural pulling up as he does passing to teammates or playing off ball. That makes him a good fit in the guard rotation in Philadelphia.

Fit With the Sixers

I was under the impression that the Sixers would go after wing players no matter what. I was wrong. One overlooked position by the team last year and by me coming into the draft is backup point guard. Last season, Maxey would have to play damn near every minute of important games because they had no one else who could bring up the ball. VJ Edgecombe was good in a pinch, but not in any crucial situation. Philon changes that. He is someone who the team will not hesitate to put the ball in his hands.

Despite being a small guard, he should still be able to play with Tyrese Maxey in certain situations because of both players’ off ball shooting. While both guys can be lead ball handlers, they are also both excellent at catch and shoot 3s and should benefit tremendously from being able to run around and get open. Obviously, he will have no trouble playing with VJ.

On the other end, things get tricky. Philon is not big and will never be a lockdown defender. The best he can hope for is having active hands on defense and being energetic. Think of him like Tyrese Maxey a few years ago but much more annoying for the opposing team. There will be games where he simply gets less minutes than you would like because playing him and Maxey together will be untenable.

This pick likely means that free agent Quentin Grimes is not coming back even if they are not one for one players.

NBA Offseason 2026

Miscellaneous

There has been a nice Alabama to Philadelphia connection lately with Jalen Hurts, Landon Dickerson, and DeVonta Smith all coming to the City of Brotherly Love. I’m damn near positive Smith has already been in contact with Philon.