Sixers Draft Alabama Guard Labaron Philon Jr. at No. 22

Sixers Bet on Skill Over Size, Draft Alabama Guard Labaron Philon Jr. at No. 22

The 76ers used the No. 22 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr., a selection that signals a clear priority from new basketball operations chief Mike Gansey: add another shot creator now, sort out the fit later.

Philadelphia’s front office viewed Philon as too talented to ignore when he slid to them Tuesday night. Gansey said the Sixers had him ranked higher on their board and believed they were landing a player capable of helping sooner rather than later.

That matters for a team trying to balance two timelines at once. The Sixers are still operating in the closing stretch of the Joel Embiid era as a title-chasing window, but they are also building around a younger core led by Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. In Philon, they believe they added a guard who can support both aims.

Philon arrives with an offensive résumé that helps explain the appeal. The 20-year-old averaged 22.0 points and 5.0 assists at Alabama while dramatically improving his perimeter shooting, rising to 39.9 percent from three. He also posted strong efficiency for a high-usage guard, evidence that his scoring came with polish, not just volume.

Gansey described Philon as a “dynamic” guard who can play on or off the ball, create his own shot and relieve pressure on Maxey and Edgecombe, both of whom carried heavy minute loads. The Sixers believe that kind of backcourt depth is not a luxury but a playoff necessity, especially in half-court possessions when someone has to go create offense late in the clock.

The immediate question, of course, is fit.

Philon is listed at roughly 6-foot-2.5 and 176 pounds, making him another smaller guard on a roster that already features Maxey and Edgecombe as foundational backcourt pieces. On paper, it is not the cleanest roster fit. But Philadelphia’s message was consistent: this was a best-player-available pick, and the team is comfortable betting on talent, competitiveness and offensive versatility over conventional positional logic.

Head coach Nick Nurse echoed that view, saying Philon is talented enough to compete for minutes right away. The Sixers see him as capable of handling both guard spots, and while the viability of three-guard lineups remains an open question, the organization clearly believes Philon’s shooting range, pick-and-roll feel and pace give him a path onto the floor.

Just as important to Philadelphia may be the edge Philon reportedly brings. Gansey pointed repeatedly to his competitiveness, toughness and fearlessness, traits the organization framed as a natural match for both the city and Nurse’s preferred style. Philon, for his part, said he sees his role as making the game easier for Maxey and Edgecombe while learning from both.

There is development still ahead. Philon will need to add strength, and the Sixers were open about that. But they also believe his defensive tools are better than his frame suggests, citing his hands, instincts and willingness to compete physically.

In the end, this was not a draft-night swing for balance. It was a swing for offensive talent and mentality.

For a Sixers team still trying to contend while extending its future, the choice of Labaron Philon Jr. says plenty about how Philadelphia wants to play: fast, aggressive, guard-driven and unafraid to stack creators in the same room.

Sixers Draft Alabama Guard Labaron Philon Jr. at No. 22 was originally published on rnbphilly.com