Mike Gansey Described Labaron Philon Jr. As 'Loyal', Here's Where It Comes From

CAMDEN — When Labaron Philon Jr. steps on the hardwoods of Xfinity Mobile Arena, he will be navigating more than just NBA-caliber defensive schemes and competing with NBA-level players.

The other challenge is not a basketball challenge. In some ways, it will be more difficult than basketball is for Philon at this stage of his life.

The new place he calls home will be farther from his life-long home than was any other place he's ever called home in his life.

It won't be just about the ups and downs of an 82-game professional season, the first of his career. It will be about adjusting to life off the court, as well.

For the first time in 20 years, Alabama won't be home.

A Mobile, Alabama native, Philon takes immense pride in Baker High School, a 2,200-student public school in Mobile. He deviated for a year, transferring to Link Academy in Branson, Missouri for his senior year of high school.

And then it was back to Alabama for college when Nate Oats and the Crimson Tide came calling.

Philon was never more than a 10-hour drive away from the comforts of home.

Some might call that circumstance. Mike Gansey referred to it as loyalty on Tuesday night.

"He's a Mobile, Alabama kid, so he stayed home, so he's loyal," Gansey told reporters after selecting Philon as his first decision in the Sixers' big chair.

For Philon, the coaching staff during his two years in Tuscaloosa built the importance of loyalty to him.

He had the opportunity to leave college after one year. He chose to return. Philon felt them pour everything into him.

"I feel like the whole program wanted me to come back and they didn't want me to rush things. So really just put my career in their hands and trusting that they were going to get me better every day," he told reporters at his introductory press conference on Thursday.

"And when I first got back, that was the only thing we focused on. Everybody in the program and all of the coaches and G.A.s, we just focused on me getting better and I feel like once you surround yourself around those types of people, you really see yourself grow and expand in that way."

Philon credits Oats and Assistant Coach Preston Murphy for not conforming to his status as a recruit out of high school.

"My freshman year, being able to take me in and not just give me what I wanted, made me work for things," Philon explained.

In some ways, it conditioned him. Not for basketball, but for life.

"I feel like it should be no different here, really. Just expecting that, not being handed anything and being able to work for the things you want," Philon said.

But to build loyalty, you must build trust. And to earn trust from your players, you have to promote them when they've earned their stripes.

"I feel like my second year, they still treated me the same way. Made me work for everything and made me grow in that way as a leader instead of a freshman young kid coming in," Philon told reporters.

"They wanted me my second year to just lead the young guys and be a stand-out leader. So I feel like I was good in both situations, but, like I said, just thanking those guys the most."

Not only did they want him being a leader as a teammate, they wanted him to lead more with the ball in his hands.

The result?

Philon is starting a new chapter at the next level, in a new place to call home.

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