June 23, 2026
David Banks/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Labaron Philon Jr. is the newest member of the Sixers.
The Sixers selected Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. with the No. 22 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday night.
Philon is officially the first player to be drafted by new Sixers President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey, who is betting on a gifted offensive talent adding to the Sixers' loaded backcourt. Philon averaged 22.0 points, 5.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game for the Crimson Tide as a sophomore, shooting just over 50 percent from the field and 39.9 percent from three-point range on 6.2 long-range attempts per game.
Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe are cemented as the Sixers' primary ball-handlers of the future – that is part of the reason the team traded Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder for this pick – but the Sixers clearly believed that Philon, who will turn 21 years old in November, was the best prospect on the board.
To succeed at a higher level in the NBA, Philon must prove that at just 176 pounds, he is going to be a viable defender. Can he consistently create shots for others against professional size and speed? How will he transition from handling a massive workload in college to fitting into a role?
Philon's dynamic offensive abilities give him somewhat of a floor. The answers to those questions could determine his ceiling.
