What Labaron Philon Believes Separates Him from Guards in Loaded NBA Draft Class

Former Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. is less than 30 days away from hearing his name called at the 2026 NBA Draft.

Philon has been considered a top-15 pick for quite some time, and while he's widely expected to be selected early, this draft class is loaded with talent, especially at the guard spots. Most mock drafts have six guards going before Philon: Kansas' Darryn Peterson, Illinois' Keaton Wagler, Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr., Arkansas' Darius Acuff Jr., Houston's Kingston Flemings and Arizona's Brayden Burries.

That said, Philon stands out in multiple ways compared to these guards, and he shared how on the BlueBlooded Podcast with Ryan Hammer.

"I would just say experience," Philon said on Monday. "A lot of these guys are freshmen, but those guys still could play. Toughness can be one. I'd say adapting [too]. In my first year, having to be more like a combo guard to then my sophomore year being like the lead guy. Being able to adapt in both situations, I feel like I did pretty good in both.

"But I don't really have a preference for what position I play. It's really just like plug-and-play me and see where I fit. As a guard, that's all you could really ask for. It's a great opportunity. If you've got the skills, you're going to showcase it. But keep putting in the hard work and being able to adapt in any situation is the most important thing for me."

Nevertheless, this isn't Philon's first rodeo in the draft process. He declared for the 2025 NBA Draft following his freshman season, and after competing at the NBA Combine and hearing what scouts, coaches and general managers had to say, Philon decided to withdraw and return to Alabama.

It ended up being a solid decision for him, as the four-time SEC Player of the Week finished third in the conference in points per game (21.5 on 50.7 percent from the field) and fourth in assists per game (4.8) this past season. Philon was named a Third Team All-American by each of the voting organizations and also landed a spot on the All-SEC First Team.

This played a role in his performance at the 2026 NBA Combine, and he shared how this year's draft process was different from the last.

"I would just say the confidence level," Philon said. "Just having that level of confidence that I'm one of the best players in the draft. Then last year, going in and not knowing the game. I was just learning, for real.

"When I went back there, it was kind of easy this time. I already knew what was going on, so that really helped me after the inexperience of my first year as a freshman. Coming back as a sophomore, you don't really get to see too many people do that. To be in a better seat than I was last year is a big plus for me."

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