{"id":229504,"date":"2025-05-07T21:30:45","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T21:30:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/alabama\/what-im-hearing-is-that-hes-going-to-be-drafted-philons-exit-poses-questions-at-point-guard\/"},"modified":"2025-05-07T21:30:45","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T21:30:45","slug":"what-im-hearing-is-that-hes-going-to-be-drafted-philons-exit-poses-questions-at-point-guard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=229504","title":{"rendered":"\u201cWhat I\u2019m hearing is that he\u2019s going to be drafted\u201d \u2014 Philon\u2019s exit poses questions at Point Guard"},"content":{"rendered":"


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For the better part of a month, the main question surrounding the Tide\u2019s rebuilding 2026 hoops roster has centered on the return of Labaron Philon. <\/p>\n

The Freshman PG from Mobile began the season on a torrid pace. As happens to young players, he did hit a bit of a wall when SEC play began, and he also played with some nagging injuries for goodly chunk of the season. However, once he got healthy again, Philon showed out down season\u2019s stretch run, including setting up a game-changing steal-dunk in an Auburn game that reversed the season\u2019s fortunes. His great play continued on the national stage in the NCAA Tournament. And, like his season, his draft fortunes followed his play, setting up a month of will-he-won\u2019t-he go to the pros at the end of the year. <\/p>\n

But at his age (19), height (6\u20194\u201d), toughness, defensive capacity, sterling Asst:TO ratio, and ability to get to the rim, we probably should have suspected that even the lure of NIL money doesn\u2019t overcome a First Round grade…and, as we now know, he\u2019s consistently getting them. Thus barring a collapse at the Combine, Philon is gone, and Nate Oats is more about promoting him at this point than hedging. <\/p>\n

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\u201cHe\u2019s got to do well in the workouts, but what I\u2019m hearing is, I think he\u2019s going to get drafted,\u201d Oats said. \u201cI\u2019m sure it\u2019ll be a great success story. He comes in, he\u2019s not on anybody\u2019s draft board, he plays well for us, and he ends up getting drafted after a year with us. So, that\u2019s the plan right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 6-foot-4 Philon, who grew up in Mobile before finishing his high school career at Link Academy in Missouri, started 29 of 37 games as a freshman at Alabama this past season. He averaged 10.6 points per game (fifth on the team) but led the team in steals (1.4 per game) and was second behind only All-American Mark Sears in assists (3.8 per game).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n