What Labaron Philon Jr. is Looking for in an NBA Team Ahead of 2026 Draft

The next stage of former Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr.'s career will become official in four days, but his destination is unknown.

Philon confirmed with BamaCentral that he'll be at the 2026 NBA Draft in Brooklyn, New York, on June 23, and he's widely projected to be selected within picks 9-20. But before he finds out his new home, he shared what his personal goals and expectations are for his rookie year.

"To be on the winning team for sure, and definitely be able to experience the playoff style of basketball," Philon said on Thursday during a press conference that followed his workout with the Golden State Warriors. "Just watching that my whole life, it's a different type of basketball, different type of physicality.

"I feel like, just being able to experience that with a great team and great vets, great leaders, and just like being in a great organization for me, that would be some of my goals right there."

Philon's decision to enter the NBA Draft was an easy one following his sophomore campaign. 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).

The All-SEC First Team member became the third player in program history with 700 points in a single season and the 57th with 1,000 career points. Philon is the first power-4 player since 2000 who averaged 21-plus points, 4-plus assists and shot over 50 percent from the field. These accolades helped him become named a Third Team All-American by all four NCAA outlets (AP, USBWA, NABC and Sporting News).

Like most schools, Alabama's official roster doesn't go into specifics on positions, meaning a small forward or power forward is just labeled as "forward." Philon is considered a guard, and even if the roster went into specifics, it might've listed him as both a point guard and a shooting guard.

During his freshman season, he took the ball up a decent chunk of time with Mark Sears doing the same. Philon saw an uptick in this during 2025-26, but Amari Allen also had his fair share. Of course, there's much more to being a point guard than bringing the ball up the floor, and Philon backed this up with his playmaking abilities and aforementioned assist numbers.

So, does he see himself as a point guard, shooting guard or a combo guard at the NBA level?

"I don't really have a preference, but I feel like I can do both on the ball, off the ball, get guys open and create for others," Philon said. "I feel like I do a great job at that, and that's one of the skills I'm going to bring over to the next level — my ability to get guys open, get into the paint, and just play inside the system."

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