College Basketball: Labaron Philon Skyrocketing Up Draft Boards

Alabama freshman guard Labaron Philon has been spectacular in his last two games. What makes the young prospect so special?

Nov 20, 2024; Birmingham, AL, USA; Alabama guard Labaron Philon (0) makes a pass after driving past Illinois forward Will Riley (7) in the CM Newton Classic at Legacy Arena. Alabama defeated Illinois 100-87. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Alabama is comfortably considered one of the best teams in the country as they have depth at every position while also having experience and young talent. Many college analysts are predicting this is the year that Alabama could win the NCAA Championship in college basketball.

There’s still a long season ahead so things could certainly change. Although it’s early in the season, it’s nice to see their freshmen producing at a high level. One player, in particular, is Labaron Philon, who has looked like the team's best all-around player in their two games versus ranked opponents.

Philon was only a four-star recruit coming out of high school so he wasn’t seen on many draft boards or mock drafts to start the season. Now after a month, some scouts are saying he could be a potential lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Let’s dive into what leaves scouts so enticed by the young freshman.

In his two games versus Purdue and Illinois, he is averaging 17 points, six rebounds and just over six assists per game. Philon absolutely stuffs the stat sheet and he does it in a productive and positive way that helps the team win games. He plays with great control and has an amazing change of pace which often keeps defenders off-balance and it allows Philon to consistently get paint touches.

When he gets to the rim he consistently finishes as he has great touch, body control and is an ambidextrous finisher. He’s not the most explosive guard in the world, but he can finish above the rim from time to time. On the season he’s shooting 30.6% from behind the arc, but that’s on a small sample size and from the eye test he’s a good enough shooter to where he will make open shots if defenders keep sagging off of him.

Eventually, it will certainly be possible for Philon to be considered a three-level score, but he’s not quite there yet. As a decision-maker, he’s very advanced for a freshman. He’s averaging less than two assists per game and coaches have gone on record talking about how great he is under pressure and how impressed they are with his poise.

Philon has a great feel for the game and is capable of making advanced reads. Seeing and hearing these things allows scouts to believe he has the ability to initiate an offense at the NBA level. On the other end, he is certainly Alabama’s best perimeter defender. Philon has good positional size for a guard and is very quick on his feet. His point-of-attack defense is very good and you can always count on him to play with a high motor. The stats and eye test back it up too as he’s one of the best guard rebounders in all of college basketball.

The two-way potential Philon has shown is what makes him stand out and he’s only scratching the surface. At this rate, he has a chance to enter top-10 conversations.

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