The Philadelphia 76ers opened their 2026 offseason by selecting guard Labaron Philon Jr. with the No. 22 overall pick. The move was framed as a step toward challenging the defending champion New York Knicks and adding perimeter depth to a bench that has struggled to produce reliable outside scoring.

Philon arrived in Philadelphia after two productive seasons at Alabama, where he averaged 22.0 points and 5.0 assists per game in his sophomore year. His most compelling statistic is the jump in three-point shooting: as a freshman he made 31.5 % of his attempts on 3.2 shots per game, and as a sophomore that rose to 39.9 % on 6.4 attempts. The increase in both volume and efficiency signals a player who has deliberately refined his long-range game.

"I would say definitely the production at Alabama, it was very important for me to go back and work on the shooting," Philon explained. "The off-ball shooting and being able to play on and off the ball... it’s just working on that outside shooting and getting stronger and working on the things that I feel like are going to take my game to the next level." His emphasis on off-ball movement and adaptability fits the modern NBA’s demand for guards who can space the floor while also creating their own shot.

Staying at Alabama for both years was a rarity amid today’s transfer-heavy landscape, and Philon credited the coaching staff for providing a patient development environment. "Definitely the coaching staff at Alabama, the whole program, they wanted me to come back and they didn’t want me to rush things," he said. "So, really just putting my career in their hands and really just trusting that they would get me better every day." He also praised assistant coach Preston Murphy, noting the value of being challenged by seasoned mentors.

Looking ahead, Philon’s task is to translate his improved shooting stroke to the NBA. Training camp will be the first test of his ability to maintain a near-40 % three-point rate against professional defenses and to fulfill the Sixers’ need for a versatile, floor-spacing guard. If he can carry his college efficiency forward, he could become a key stabilizer for a bench that aims to support a roster built around contending with the Knicks and the broader Eastern Conference.