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CAMDEN, N.J. -- The Philadelphia 76ers made their first move of the offseason on Tuesday night when they selected Alabama guard Labaron Philon with the No. 22 pick in the draft. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 22.0 points and 5.0 assists while shooting 50.1% from the floor and 39.9% from deep in the 2025-26 season as a sophomore.
Philon took on a big role for the Crimson Tide on a regular basis and will look to give that same type of production to Philadelphia off the bench in an effort to help the Sixers take another big step in the right direction. He is an aggressive guard with a scorer's mindset that should stabilize the second unit a bit. He had a true shooting percentage of 62.6% in the 2025-26 season.
Coach Nick Nurse will now have three dynamic guards in the form of Philon, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe to work with.
"I mean, my initial thoughts are he's a really talented scorer, right?" said Nurse. "Really fast and explosive, and can really get it in the bucket, and I think with a lot of guys that can score like he can, the mentality of kind of swagger or confidence or something that he has, obviously, is one of his traits that has served him well."
Philon comes from a system in Alabama under coach Nate Oats in which he played fast, played in a spaced-out offense--a rarity in college basketball--and launched 3s when he could. He shot 6.4 3-pointers per game while knocking down the 39.9% of them.
"He played in a system in Alabama that's very kind of pro style, you know?" Nurse added. "They really do get up and down the floor, they really spread, they're very analytical, lots of spread movement shots, transition 3s, corner 3s, drives to the rim, so that'll serve him well as well, and I think he's certainly got two-way capability."
Philon's defensive metrics dipped a bit in the 2025-26 season compared to his freshman year, but he has the skill and makeup to help on both ends of the floor. He will certainly need to add to his 176-pound frame, but Nurse and Co. are confident that he can be a legitimate two-way player.
"I think he can guard, right?" Nurse explained. "So, I think all those things are good, and, and as you guys have already heard, or known, or whatever, he was pretty high up on most people's boards and mocks and all that kind of stuff, our board and stuff, and I think that's always exciting to get somebody that people have up there pretty high."
One has to believe Nurse and the Sixers have a vision when it comes to the three guards. Philon fits into what Philadelphia wants to do and that is to play fast and to take advantage of the talented guards and be able to get up and down the floor.
"I think that he's another fast kind of exciting guy that kind of plays a lot like Tyrese and VJ," Nurse finished. "It's another guy that I think, you know, again the speed, athleticism, quickness, deep range, some creativity with the ball. He's a pretty good pick-and-roll player already. Probably more advanced than a lot of guys coming out and into the NBA. I think he sees all pieces of a pick-and-roll, but yeah, I think it's just another really fast, exciting guy."
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Coach Nick Nurse gives initial thoughts on 76ers adding Labaron Philon
Continue reading...
Philon took on a big role for the Crimson Tide on a regular basis and will look to give that same type of production to Philadelphia off the bench in an effort to help the Sixers take another big step in the right direction. He is an aggressive guard with a scorer's mindset that should stabilize the second unit a bit. He had a true shooting percentage of 62.6% in the 2025-26 season.
Coach Nick Nurse will now have three dynamic guards in the form of Philon, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe to work with.
"I mean, my initial thoughts are he's a really talented scorer, right?" said Nurse. "Really fast and explosive, and can really get it in the bucket, and I think with a lot of guys that can score like he can, the mentality of kind of swagger or confidence or something that he has, obviously, is one of his traits that has served him well."
Philon comes from a system in Alabama under coach Nate Oats in which he played fast, played in a spaced-out offense--a rarity in college basketball--and launched 3s when he could. He shot 6.4 3-pointers per game while knocking down the 39.9% of them.
"He played in a system in Alabama that's very kind of pro style, you know?" Nurse added. "They really do get up and down the floor, they really spread, they're very analytical, lots of spread movement shots, transition 3s, corner 3s, drives to the rim, so that'll serve him well as well, and I think he's certainly got two-way capability."
Philon's defensive metrics dipped a bit in the 2025-26 season compared to his freshman year, but he has the skill and makeup to help on both ends of the floor. He will certainly need to add to his 176-pound frame, but Nurse and Co. are confident that he can be a legitimate two-way player.
"I think he can guard, right?" Nurse explained. "So, I think all those things are good, and, and as you guys have already heard, or known, or whatever, he was pretty high up on most people's boards and mocks and all that kind of stuff, our board and stuff, and I think that's always exciting to get somebody that people have up there pretty high."
One has to believe Nurse and the Sixers have a vision when it comes to the three guards. Philon fits into what Philadelphia wants to do and that is to play fast and to take advantage of the talented guards and be able to get up and down the floor.
"I think that he's another fast kind of exciting guy that kind of plays a lot like Tyrese and VJ," Nurse finished. "It's another guy that I think, you know, again the speed, athleticism, quickness, deep range, some creativity with the ball. He's a pretty good pick-and-roll player already. Probably more advanced than a lot of guys coming out and into the NBA. I think he sees all pieces of a pick-and-roll, but yeah, I think it's just another really fast, exciting guy."
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Coach Nick Nurse gives initial thoughts on 76ers adding Labaron Philon
Continue reading...
