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What to do at Pick 29: Labaron Philon is young but the flashes are impossible to ignore

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Alabama v Duke
Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

He may not fit the timeline, but he might be worth the wait.

We’re starting to gain clarity on this year’s NBA Draft prospects. The more we tune in and analyze the options potentially available to the Phoenix Suns, the clearer the landscape before the organization begins to take shape. Of course, the roster’s status on draft day remains a mystery. Trades can happen. Picks can move. And it’s impossible to fully predict which path Brian Gregory and the front office will ultimately choose.

At Bright Side, we continue doing our due diligence. We’re examining what options might be on the table at pick 29, while fully understanding that might not be the final draft slot the Suns occupy.

Maybe they fall in love with a prospect and move up. Maybe no one stirs their blood, and they slide back. It’s that uncertainty that makes this time of year both maddening and beautiful.

Because of that, I’ll keep reviewing prospects in and around the Suns’ current range, leaning on mock drafts and suggestions from you, the readers. Which brings us to today’s prospect, a suggestion that caught my attention.

Labaron Philon, G, Alabama

  • Height: 6’4”
  • Weight: 175 pounds
  • Age: 19 years old
  • Experience: One year at Alabama
  • 2024-25 Statistics: 10.6 points (45.2 FG%, 31.5 3PT%, 76.7 FT%), 3.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.7 turnovers, 1.4 steals

Timeline. It’s a word I hesitate to use, for obvious reasons. Around these parts, it carries some baggage. But when you look at what Labaron Philon brings to the table, “timeline” feels relevant again. Just not the Suns’ timeline. Not yet.

He’s not even 20 years old. The kid was born two months after I left active duty in the U.S. Army. That fact alone gives me pause. But when you watch the Alabama freshman play, you begin to understand why, in three to four years, he could be a legitimate contributor in the NBA.

Why? Because he defends.

In a league that’s trending toward positionless offense and defensive versatility, Philon offers a strong foundation on the less glamorous end of the floor. Think about how the Oklahoma City Thunder have climbed the Western ranks: defense first. And that’s where Philon’s value quietly begins to shine.

Offensively, he’s a capable scorer, though the outside shot remains a work in progress. His three-point struggles are real, and his production dipped noticeably in the NCAA Tournament. My guess? Fatigue. He’d never been asked to sustain that level of intensity and physicality over a full season. That’s not an excuse — plenty of freshmen rise to the moment in March — but it’s a contextual clue.

Philon’s game is built on change of direction and fearless rim attacks. He’s slippery. He can go left, go right, and has a natural instinct for playmaking, finding bigs with pocket passes or kicking to shooters once he draws help. But he’ll need to add strength. He’s a lean guard, and the physicality of NBA defenders will test him early and often.

And while the vision is there, the decision-making sometimes lags behind. He’ll go for the highlight pass when the simple one would suffice. That leads to unnecessary turnovers; teachable moments that are part of the developmental curve.

So no, Philon doesn’t fit this timeline. But if the Suns can think a few seasons down the road, and they’re patient with development, they might just find a defensive-minded guard with the tools to carve out a long NBA career.

No Ceilings’ Nick Agor-Johnson had this to say about the young prospect:

In my mind, Labaron Philon has been one of the most fascinating and confounding players to evaluate in this class. The strengths are easy to see; he’s one of the best guards in the class when it comes to scoring inside the arc, he’s a solid passer who takes great care of the ball, and he’s an absolute demon defensively.

The weaknesses are also easy to see. He’s a poor three-point shooter and is frustratingly offensively inconsistent. His SEC tournament run tells that story pretty succinctly, as Philon put up 21 points on 14 shots with four assists and three steals in the quarterfinals against Kentucky…only to put up a 1-of-9 stinker the next night against Florida. Philon was all but invisible in Alabama’s March Madness opener, taking just one shot from the floor and two from the charity stripe for one point in 28 minutes in a 90-81 Alabama win over Robert Morris—a win that was closer than it needed to be for the Crimson Tide.

I’ve changed my mind about Philon a few times throughout this draft cycle, but I’ve had him pretty comfortably in the first round on my board for a little while now. The offensive weaknesses are concerning, but his finishing numbers and game-management abilities should be enough to sustain him while he works on his shot. He’ll earn his playing time on the defensive end anyway, and there’s a lot to love about his game on that end of the floor.

Mock draft time!

The Ringer ranks Philon as the 18th overall prospect, drawing player comps to Jalen Suggs, Delon Wright, Rajon Rondo, and Elfrid Payton.


The Ringer (https://nbadraft.theringer.com/)

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