Latest ESPN NBA Mock Draft: Where is Labaron Philon Going?

We are one week from the NBA draft, where Alabama guard Labaron Philon is hoping to and is expected to hear his name called on the first night of the two-round draft. After his freshman season in 2024-25, Philon entered the draft, but removed his name from draft consideration after the combine, electing to return to the Crimson Tide for a sophomore campaign, leading Alabama to its fourth-consecutive Sweet 16 appearance.

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Philon entered the draft again after his sophomore campaign, where he led the Crimson Tide with 22.0 points per game. Philon also led the team in assists per game (5.0) and steals per game (1.2), and was seventh in rebounds per game (3.5). Among players who played 11 games or more for Alabama last season, Philon was fifth in rebounds per game. He was second on the team in three-point percentage (39.9%).

Philon scored 30+ points three times for the Crimson Tide last season, including two career-high 35-point performances in the Tide's 117-115 double-overtime victory over Arkansas and in the Sweet 16 loss against Michigan. ESPN's latest mock draft from NBA draft analyst Jeremy Woo has the Oklahoma City Thunder drafting Philon with the 17th pick in next week's draft, which the Thunder received in a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Woo wrote in his analysis of the pick:

"Philon earned a green room invitation but has had a quiet predraft process. Milwaukee and Miami are considered the high-end landing spots for him, but trade uncertainty makes it tricky to project both teams. Philon didn't test well at the combine and is more scoring-focused than the other guards in this tier of the draft, making him a bit of an acquired taste for teams, but his ability to create his own shot and shoot from range remains attractive."

He also added that the Thunder's pick at No. 17 (one of two picks it has in the first round) is expected to be moved, as OKC is expected to move around in the first round next week.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.