The Philadelphia 76ers selected Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. with the 22nd pick in the 2026 NBA draft. Philon was projected to be drafted earlier, but instead fell right into the 76ers lap. Philon Jr. now joins a core that already features guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, Forward Paul George, and star center Joel Embiid. With that being said, there are pros and cons to this selection that benefit and concern the 76ers.
Analyzing 76ers Draft Pick Labaron Philon Jr.
The Pros
The first pro is his offensive production. Philon averaged 22 points per game, and he is a three-level scorer, meaning he can efficiently score from each area of the court consistently. Philon also shot 40% from the three-point line, making him another strong offensive weapon for this squad.
The next pro is his draft age and draft value. Philon is only 20 years old and has plenty of time to develop with guards Maxey and Edgecombe. He was projected to be drafted higher, and that is great value for the 76ers at pick 22. Philadelphia did not have to trade up to select him, and fans all over are considering this selection to be the “steal” of the draft.
The last pro is the guard position following the Philon Jr selection. It is well known that Maxey is the main scoring guard for this team, averaging 28.3 points per game this past season, and he is a two-time all-star. The 76ers also have Edgecombe, who was selected with the third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Edgecombe showed star flashes in his rookie season, averaging 16 points. If Philon can develop with Maxey and Edgecombe, this team can be really dangerous.
The Cons
The very first con is that Philon Jr is slightly undersized, and it could be concerning when he has to guard larger and more athletic players.
The next con is that he would likely have to come off the bench due to Maxey and Edgecombe being the starting guards. This is not as big of a deal because the Sixers need a bench player that can bring a spark, but if Philon turns out to be really good and he comes off the bench, he could eventually seek higher pay and may want to leave down the road and start somewhere else.
Potentially, the biggest con is the 76ers draft history struggles. Yes, the 76ers made slam dunk selections with Maxey in 2020 and Edgecombe in 2025, but the 76ers still have a bad history with drafting that may be a concern. In 2021, they selected guard Jaden Springer over some talented guards such as, Ayo Dosunmu, who turned into a productive player. They also selected Markelle Fultz with the first overall pick in 2017 over Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum. The 76ers did fire General Manager Daryl Morey and hired Mike Gansey, and change may be a good thing, but based on draft history, 76ers fans have plenty to be concerned about.
The last con is trading guard Jared McCain for the draft pick this past February at the NBA trade deadline. If it weren’t for the 76ers trading McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the 76ers would not have been dealt the draft pick that was owned by the Houston Rockets, meaning they gave up on young talent to take a gamble on another draft pick. This is a bad thing because McCain was on pace to win Rookie of the Year for Philadelphia before he suffered a rookie season-ending lateral meniscus tear last season. If Philon can not develop, this could end up as a disastrous trade for the 76ers.
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