"No friends once we step onto the court": Alabama standout Labaron Philon makes feelings known on teammates transferring to rival programs

NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament East Regional-Alabama at Duke - Source: Imagn
NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament East Regional-Alabama at Duke - Source: Imagn

Alabama Crimson Tide guard Labaron Philon declared for the 2025 NBA Draft, but later withdrew to continue at the program for his sophomore year. The 2023 Alabama Mr. Basketball had an impressive debut season at the Crimson Tide.

Ad

The 6-foot-4 guard appeared in an interview posted by Tide Hoops History on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday. In the interview, he was asked who he was looking forward to playing against.

“Probably all my teammates that transferred to other SEC schools,” Philon said. “It’s going to be really fun. We still all talk to each other to this day. But those guys at different schools, pretty sure they’ll be trying to take our heads off too. It’s no friends once we step onto the court.”
Ad
Ad

These players include Derrion Reid, who transferred to the Oklahoma Sooners; Naas Cunningham, who went to the UNLV Rebels; Jarin Stevenson, who will play for the North Carolina Tar Heels; and Mouhamed Dioubate, who will suit up for the Kentucky Wildcats next season.

While Stevenson and Cunningham remain in the SEC, Philon will face Reid and Dioubate when Alabama locks horns with either Oklahoma and Kentucky.

Last season, Labaron Philon averaged 10.6 points on 45.2% shooting, including 31.5% from behind the arc. He also grabbed 3.3 rebounds, dished out 3.8 assists, recorded 0.3 blocks and stole the ball 1.4 times in 24.7 minutes per game in 29 games.

Ad

One of his best games came in the 99-70 win against Kentucky on March 15, when he recorded 21 points, three rebounds, four assists, one block and three steals. He shot 8-for-14, including 1-for-4 from behind the 3-point line and converted 4-of-6 of his free throws in 26 minutes.


Look at Labaron Philon's new teammates

Coming back for his second season, Labraon Philon will have plenty of new teammates. Alabama was eliminated in the Elite Eight of last year's NCAA Tournament, and now, coach Nate Oats made some significant additions to his roster.

Ad

From the Class of 2025, they added three four-star recruits, including power forward London Jemison, combo guard Davion Hannah, small forward Amari Allen and a three-star center, Collins Onyejiaka.

In the transfer portal, Oats acquired Taylor Bol Bowen from Florida State Seminoles, Jalil Bethea from Miami Hurricanes, Noah Williamson from Bucknell Bison and Keitenn Bristow from Tarleton State Texans.

Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma, or Kim Mulkey - who is NCAAW's highest-paid coach? Find out here

Edited by Krutik Jain
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
down arrow icon
More
bell-icon Manage notifications