Why the Sixers Made the Right Choice Drafting Labaron Philon Jr. With 22nd Pick

The pick was so good that it made Adam Silver stutter.

"The Philadelphia 70-selectors.”

— Adam Silver. 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/WCnCMdfqdG
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 24, 2026

When the NBA’s commissioner finished tripping over his own words, he announced that the Sixers took Labaron Philon Jr. with the 22nd overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The 20-year-old guard coming out of Alabama fulfills many of Philadelphia’s needs and was, point blank, the best guy available. Fans must look beyond positional needs and realize this.

Philon is just what the Sixers’ bench needs

One of the key reasons the New York Knicks swept the Sixers in the conference semifinals was depth—or the discrepancy in depth. Philadelphia fielded the fourth worst-scoring bench league-wide via NBA.com, tallying 32.4 points per game. Philon’s offensive repertoire offers a long-term remedy.

The 6-foot-2 guard is elite at operating out of pick-and-rolls, using his IQ and ball-handling to get into the paint to create for himself and others. Philon’s five assists and six free throw attempts per game this season are evidence of his success at warping defenses off the point of attack.

There aren't many players in this year's draft class who can score the ball better than Labaron Philon.

The crafty guard returned to Alabama for his sophomore season and broke out, averaging 22 points, 5 assists and 1.2 steals on 50% shooting from the field and 40% from three.… pic.twitter.com/d2E2ecc73k
— anthony chiu (@acfilmroom) June 22, 2026

Philon has a steady floater to punish bigs in drop coverage and is equally as menacing from 3-point range. He shot 39.9% from beyond the arc and 40% off catch-and-shoot triples, showcasing the ability to keep a defense honest on and off the ball. For reference, Philon is joining a Sixers team that did not rank top 20 in 3-point attempts, makes or accuracy, according to NBA.com.

What can you expect from Philon?

A drawback of Philon’s is his 176-pound frame, which warrants concern about his defensive impact. While it shouldn’t be ignored, he still has a 6-foot-6 wingspan and Nick Nurse will demand his best on this end of the court. Nurse always maximizes his guards defensively, aggressive on-ball coverages and forcing turnovers a big part of his philosophy.

Philon will likely have a sixth-man type of role this season, but that doesn’t mean he can’t or won’t share the floor with Tyrese Maxey. He played alongside two-time All-American guard Mark Sears in his first year at Alabama, scaling down and focusing more defensively. When Sears departed, Philon increased his points per game by 11.4 as a sophomore.

Mike Gansey says Nick Nurse thinks "at times" Labaron Philon Jr. could play with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.

"I don't see a lot of minutes, but maybe in certain situations I can."
— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) June 24, 2026

Philon may not manipulate defenses as he did in college during his rookie season, but, at the very least, he can give Maxey a break. Maxey fronted the NBA in minutes per game, clocking 38, and VJ Edgecombe practically led all rookies with 35. It could take time for Philon to adjust to the NBA’s physicality, but he has the tools to develop into an elite sixth man and possibly something more.

Some fans may be annoyed that Philadelphia favored a guard again when players like Chris Cenac Jr. and Koa Peat were available. But Philon’s upside was too good to pass on and Philadelphia now wields three quality guards—a recipe that has proven to yield success in today’s NBA.

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on X and Bluesky for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google