How Labaron Philon Jr.'s name draws attention as 76ers draft pick
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How Labaron Philon Jr.'s name draws attention as 76ers draft pick originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Philadelphia 76ers have a really good basketball team.
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They added to it with the No. 22 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday night: Labaron Philon Jr., the guard out of Alabama.
And one thing really does catch the eye: his name.
No, it's not LeBron.
But it's kind of close to LeBron.
Labaron, pronounced like "Baron" with a "la" in front of it, isn't named after the all-time great LeBron James.
But if you want to squint, he's got a pretty impressive basketball name.
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He's also got a pretty impressive basketball game.
Philon started his college career as an incredible defender.
Then when he tested the draft process a year ago, they told him he needed to shoot better.
So he went back and raised himself to a 40% 3-point shooter.
The 76ers have great guards, Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe, but they played a ton of minutes in 2025-26.
Philon, who worked with space and pace with the Crimson Tide, will fit right in to the NBA. His handles will allow him to succeed immediately off the bench. In the long run, he could develop into a great player.
And eventually, he can make a name for himself and let Labaron stand on its own.