
Undoubtedly, the 2026 NBA Draft possesses tremendous talent at various positions. From talented bigs like Jayden Quaintance to athletic forwards like Caleb Wilson, talent can be found across the board. One of those talented prospects is Alabama guard Labaron Philon. Not only is he one of the better point guards in the class, but he is also one of the better sophomores as well. Plus, he has had excellent performances throughout this season, demonstrating his worth as a prospect. With his success this season, it is important to become familiar with his skill set. Let’s dive into a prospect overview of the 2026 NBA Draft prospect, Labaron Philon.
Unquestionably, Philon is a gifted scorer who can knock down shots on all three levels. He is an expert at using his speed and ball-handling to get into the paint and finish well at the rim. He has touch in the mid-range, both in terms of pull-up shooting and on his floaters. Though more importantly, Philon has improved significantly as a three-point shooter. In particular, he is shooting 38% on 5.4 attempts per game this season, which is up from 31.5% on 3.4 attempts during his freshman year. Plus, Philon has improved his ability to take pull-up or off-the-dribble threes. Philon possesses a well-rounded scoring package that has only improved since last year.
In addition to his scoring, Philon has demonstrated excellence as a shot creator for himself and others. He weaponizes his speed, ball-handling, and overall craftiness to find weaknesses in opposing defenses and exploit them. He can easily get to his preferred spots using his speed and score over the defense. Not only that, but Philon can also create high-quality shots for his teammates. He has great court vision and passing ability, allowing him to find his teammates for wide-open shots. He knows how to utilize his threat as a score to collapse defenses, then quickly make reads to move the ball quickly and to the right man.
Philon isn’t just all offense, as he has proven himself to be an impactful defender at the guard spot. He certainly has the speed and length to defend both guard positions effectively. Furthermore, he knows exactly where he needs to be on defense, making correct rotations. Additionally, Philon is disruptive as a defensive playmaker, consistently being disruptive in the passing lanes or against opposing ball-handlers.
While Philon has improved his strength and frame, he is still developing in that area. To be sure, Philon has gotten better at taking contact due to his strength development. However, it is still apparent that Philon can be bullied by bigger and stronger opponents. It’s important to consider that his developing strength can have negative effects on both ends of the floor. Offensively, Philon can struggle at times to power through contact to finish at the rim. Defensively, certain matchups against stronger players will be disadvantageous as he can get backed down. Considering that, Philon must continue to develop his strength.
Another area that isn’t in Philon’s favor is his vertical athleticism. Specifically, Philon isn’t the type of prospect to leap out of the gym. He consistently relies on his ball-handling and burst to create paint touches for himself. Without the vertical athleticism, Philon could find it difficult to finish at the NBA level. Centers will be bigger, faster, and more athletic in the NBA. While Philon can be effective as he is, his lack of verticality can be a weak point for him.
Overall, Alabama guard Labaron Philon is an excellent point guard prospect who has shown improvement in key areas since his freshman season. He is incredibly quick as a ball-handler, using his burst and craftiness to break down defenses. Additionally, Philon has improved his three-point shooting and strength, which makes his ability to score on all three levels even more effective. Plus, he has the vision and passing ability to be a great playmaker for his team. Philon is also an impactful defender who utilizes his length and speed to disrupt passing lanes and force turnovers. While he does have more improvement ahead of him, Philon is clearly a well-rounded guard prospect.
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