Pair of Alabama Draft Prospects Star in Crimson Tide Win Against UTSA

The Alabama Crimson Tide are off to another strong start to the college basketball season.

Even after losing Mark Sears, Grant Nelson and Chris Youngblood to the NBA in addition to seeing a few other players from last year's roster graduate or transfer, Nate Oats' team is 7-2 and holds the No. 12 spot in the most recent AP Poll.

After reaching the Elite 8 in 2025, the Crimson Tide could have the pieces to make another deep run in the postseason. In addition to a number of solid role players, Alabama also has a few NBA prospects on its roster.

In Sunday's win against UTSA, a few of those potential first-round picks shined as Oats' squad beat the Roadrunners. Sophomore guard Jalil Bethea was the game's leading scorer with 21 points, adding 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals while committing 0 turnovers in the victory.

Listed at 6-foot-5, Bethea has played in just two games this season, but could become an NBA prospect if he continues to perform well as the year goes on. Alongside Bethea, Labaron Philon and Amari Allen, two players that are already in the mix to be first-round selections, played well.

Philon scored 20 points in 22 minutes on the court, also chipping in 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals while committing 0 turnovers as well as shooting 7-of-11 from the field and 3-of-6 from deep.

Philon tested the NBA Draft waters in 2025, but elected to return to school.

So far, that appears to be a wise decision, as the talented sophomore is averaging 21.4 points, 5.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals while shooting 56.6% from the field and 40.4% from beyond the arc on more than 5 attempts per game.

At the NBA Combine, Philon measured 6-foot-2 and three quarters of an inch without shoes while notching a 6-foot-6 and a quarter of an inch wingspan. Rated the No. 34 overall prospect and No. 3 point guard in the 2024 recruiting class by 247Sports, Philon will likely be a first-round pick if he continues to perform well this season.

Allen finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, a block and a turnover in the win, shooting 5-of-13 from the field and 1-of-6 from beyond the arc. The freshman's shooting splits from the contest aren't eye-popping, but Allen showcased his versatility in the win.

The former four-star recruit is averaging 10.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 46.7% from the field and 36.1% from 3-point range. Listed at 6-foot-8 and 205 pounds, the first-year wing has already started to creep into first-round conversations.

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