CAMDEN, N.J. — The Sixers’ bright young backcourt room grew larger Tuesday night.
With the 22nd overall pick in the NBA draft, the team selected Labaron Philon Jr.
Philon had an extremely productive sophomore season at Alabama, averaging 22.0 points, 5.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals. He shot 39.9 percent from three-point range on 6.2 attempts per game. Philon also drew free throws at a high rate, taking 6.0 foul shots per contest and hitting 79.8 percent.
The 20-year-old was a fun player to watch in college with the ball in his hands. He’s crafty and clever in how he fools defenders and navigates to his spots.
‘The epitome of a “If you reach, I teach” ballhandler with how he baits defenders into going for the ball before whipping it away and blowing by them,” The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie wrote on Philon in his draft guide.
Inevitably, Philon will have to answer size-related questions in the NBA. He measured in at 6-foot-2.5 without shoes and 176 pounds at the NBA draft combine. Adding muscle surely wouldn’t hurt in the years to come.
Philon will join All-NBA guard Tyrese Maxey (21st pick in the 2020 draft) and Rookie of the Year finalist VJ Edgecombe (No. 3 last year) on the Sixers. He’s the first draft pick of new Sixers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey’s regime.
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The Sixers currently have no selections in Wednesday’s second round. They acquired No. 22 as part of their February trade to deal Jared McCain to the Thunder.
This story will be updated.