76ers first-round pick Labaron Philon Jr. is looking to take pressure off Philadelphia's backcourt stars.
Most are in agreement the Philadelphia 76ers got a steal in the 2026 NBA Draft by selecting former Alabama Crimson Tide guard Labaron Philon Jr. with the No. 22 pick.
Adding to the backcourt was not necessarily the 76ers' top need, but the talent he possesses was too hard to pass on. In his sophomore season at Alabama, he averaged 22.0 points, 5.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.2 steals on 50.1% shooting and 39.9% shooting from three-point range in 33 games.
Philon, after being selected by Philadelphia, shared a key goal he has for his first NBA season.
I want to come in and take pressure off Tyrese [Maxey] and V.J. [Edgecombe]," Philon said, per The Athletic's Tony Jones. "I think we have a chance to have a special season coming up. With Joel Embiid and Paul George, we have a great roster. I believe that I can play at a high level, and that I’m going to be able to get into the paint and create shots."
This is the perfect mindset for Philon to have.
Maxey and Edgecombe played a ton of minutes in the 2025-2026 season, especially after Jared McCain was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Quentin Grimes was realistically the only playable guard coming off the bench toward the end of the season for Philadelphia.
Now, Philon is in the mix to relieve Maxey or Edgecombe when they need a break.
He is one of the most gifted scorers in the entire 2026 class, so the level of play should not drop dramatically when he enters the game. Will he be a star in his first season like Edgecombe was or an All-Star out of the gates? Probably not, but that does not mean he won't contribute right away.
The hope is undoubtedly for the Sixers to retain Grimes, who, alongside Philon, would form one of the most offensively dangerous backup guard rooms in the NBA.
Philon may not be the best defender or a physical specimen, but he's clearly entering his rookie campaign with the correct mindset.
Join The 76ersRoundtable
Head over to the 76ersRoundtable page and hit the "Join" button under the featured story... it's completely FREE! You'll have the opportunity to engage with other 76ers fans who live and breathe the team, share your thoughts on the organization, and more. If you're asked to sign up or download the Roundtable app... that's free too.
Anthony Pasciolla is the publisher of 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached via email at [email protected] or followed on X @AnthonyPasci.
