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CAMDEN, N.J. -- As Labaron Philon Jr. looks to begin his NBA career with the Philadelphia 76ers, there will be questions he must answer. Of course, that comes with every rookie, but for Philon, he must answer questions about his defensive abilities.
Standing at 6-foot-2, Philon joins a backcourt led by 6-foot-2 Tyrese Maxey, and 6-foot-4 VJ Edgecombe. There are questions about whether the Sixers can win with smaller guards leading the way as they are easy targets on the defensive end of the floor.
Philon averaged 1.3 steals across his two seasons at Alabama and will now need to find a way to fit in defensively with this group.
"Definitely my skills is to be a ball hawk and just get steals and being able to pressure the ball at the point of attack," said Philon. "I feel like to be a guard in the NBA, you have to be able to do that and play both sides. I feel like that’s a big thing for me, but really it’s just that same mentality I had at Alabama to take it to the next level."
Reading and studying scouting reports is such an important factor in being a top-flight defender in the league. The NBA has so many elite guards who can make life miserable for opponents. The East features the likes of New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson, Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham, and others. Philon will have to be prepared for what's to come.
"Just because you see different guys every night and you gotta scout different guys every night," Philon stated. "So, it’s important to know what guys’ favorite thing to do and just being on that end of the floor, you have to be locked in. Especially, at the next level just because it’s top guys every night."
Philon will be flanked by good-to-great defenders in the form of Paul George and Joel Embiid, but the rookie will certainly need to hold his own when the games begin in October.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Rookie Labaron Philon Jr. addresses his defensive fit with Sixers
Continue reading...
Standing at 6-foot-2, Philon joins a backcourt led by 6-foot-2 Tyrese Maxey, and 6-foot-4 VJ Edgecombe. There are questions about whether the Sixers can win with smaller guards leading the way as they are easy targets on the defensive end of the floor.
Philon averaged 1.3 steals across his two seasons at Alabama and will now need to find a way to fit in defensively with this group.
"Definitely my skills is to be a ball hawk and just get steals and being able to pressure the ball at the point of attack," said Philon. "I feel like to be a guard in the NBA, you have to be able to do that and play both sides. I feel like that’s a big thing for me, but really it’s just that same mentality I had at Alabama to take it to the next level."
Reading and studying scouting reports is such an important factor in being a top-flight defender in the league. The NBA has so many elite guards who can make life miserable for opponents. The East features the likes of New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson, Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham, and others. Philon will have to be prepared for what's to come.
"Just because you see different guys every night and you gotta scout different guys every night," Philon stated. "So, it’s important to know what guys’ favorite thing to do and just being on that end of the floor, you have to be locked in. Especially, at the next level just because it’s top guys every night."
Philon will be flanked by good-to-great defenders in the form of Paul George and Joel Embiid, but the rookie will certainly need to hold his own when the games begin in October.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Rookie Labaron Philon Jr. addresses his defensive fit with Sixers
Continue reading...
