Why the Milwaukee Bucks Should Take Labaron Philon at Number 10

The Milwaukee Bucks currently possess the 10th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.  

Things can change at any moment in the NBA, especially when you're the team shopping an MVP candidate around with a ticking clock counting down until Draft Night; Bucks fans are days away from potentially look up to a breaking news tweet saying their fan-favorite superstar is heading out the door with some mix of star players, interesting prospects, or more potential lottery picks in return.

Until that happens, with comments from the Bucks owners leaving every option on the table, we will assume there's a sliver of hope for Giannis to stay in Milwaukee, so the Bucks could look at the Draft in different ways. Milwaukee should target the best player available for potential star upside either way, while prioritizing win-now good basketball players who can slide in next to Antetokounmpo in the short term, with hopes of taking the franchise cornerstone reigns long term.

With plenty of talented options projected to be available in this class, especially at the 10th slot, the On SI team’s Snapshot Scouting Report series will be breaking down potential targets until the 2026 NBA Draft; follow along here.

With the 10th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Milwaukee Buck should select…

Alabama G, Labaron Philon.

on Labaron Philon's unusual, effective scoring style:

"Philon, to me, has the most appealing scoring package of any of these guards right now.

He is so confident."

-@ChuckingDarts on 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥's Most Underrated 2026 NBA Draft Prospects @SwishTheory pic.twitter.com/Xi4LKnDJWX
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) May 29, 2026

Labaron Philon Snapshot Scouting Report

Philon layup — Mar 27, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Labaron Philon Jr. (0) reaches for the ball in the first half against the Michigan Wolverines during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Midwest Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

 1) Draft Profile Strengths 

Labaron Philon is one of the most complete offensive guard prospects in the class, with a unique style of play that makes his offensive profile even more appealing.

Philon spent his Freshman season showing his walking hustle play mindset, a walking good decision maker for his team, a guy willing to do what it takes to win. The following season, Philon was handed the keys as a lead option, scaling up from off-ball connector to on-ball creator, and flourished.

He proved to be an incredibly efficient scorer and shooter, on and off the ball. His herky jerky unorthodox driving style, bump and finish mindset, and knack for making the shots defenses generally want you to take create an incredibly tough player to guard, especially once you add in his ability to pull up from anywhere in the halfcourt at any moment.

A sniper 3pt shooter, an efficient all-around scorer in many playtypes, a unique scoring style, heads up team-first vision, clean dribble move handles, sound hustle play instincts and incredible two-way feel add up to Philon being one of the most malleable offensive talents in this 2026 NBA Draft. Philon has clear star upside on offense with promising indicators to find two-way impact with the right balance of offensive usage and touches.

Cerebro Sports data on Scoring, Passing, and 3PT Shooting visualized from @BeyondTheRK | Ryan Kaminski/@BeyondTheRK

2) Development Areas 

Some scouts question if Philon can regain that two-way balance, as traditionally once the usage goes up, if that defensive falls off with it, its hard to bring it back.

Perhaps in the right situation, flanked with some defensive help and other creators to blend in with, Philon can focus on what he does best to build out his two-way game from there. The defense being climbing back up net neutral or positive impact would take him from likely starter to a potential star.

Others worry about his ball-handling stopping the flow of the offense, though I think his connective feel for the game, blend of skills and shooting touch are incredibly strong indicators for scalability and a style of play that should fit in any lineup as a walking bucket floor-stretching self-creator who holds his own and makes winning plays on both ends.

3) Philon's Fit & Opportunity with Bucks

Apr 12, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo reacts during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

In Milwaukee, Philon could achieve multiple goals at once for the organization.

Philon presents a tough matchup for any defense, able to use his gravity on and off the ball to leverage advantages for his team, with great understanding of the game to help his team force stops and get buckets time and time again.

Labaron is the exact type of offensive talent that could thrive as an release valve of scoring and shooting next to Giannis in the short term, which could give him the time needed to find his two-way impact balance of touches vs defensive energy.

Longterm, Philon could have has star upside as high as anyone after the presumed Top-4, especially if the hustle plays and deflection-forcing feel rounds out a legit defender to go with his potential star offensive skillset.

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