The Philadelphia 76ers have a new guard.
On Tuesday night, the longtime Eastern Conference franchise that has boasted players like Charles Barkley and Allen Iverson selected Alabama men’s basketball sophomore Labaron Philon Jr. with the 22nd pick in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft.
Philon became the 20th player in Alabama program history to be selected in the first round and the fifth player under head coach Nate Oats. The previous selectees include:
– Brandon Miller (No. 2, Charlotte Hornets)
– Noah Clowney (No. 21, Brooklyn Nets)
– Joshua Primo (No. 12, San Antonio Spurs)
– Kira Lewis Jr. (No. 13, New Orleans Pelicans)
A 2026 Third Team All-American selection, Philon totaled 725 points, the third-most by a player in a single season in Alabama basketball history. He was also the only Division I player to average 22.0 points and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 50.1 percent from the field.
Tuesday’s draft was held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, with BYU’s AJ Dybantsa being selected as the draft’s No.1 overall pick by the Washington Wizards.
Philon joins an organization that includes former Kentucky star Tyrese Maxey and 7-time NBA All-Star Joel Embiid. TG
