Labaron Philon: "They knew it already": Alabama star Labaron Philon gives final update on his future to Nate Oats

Labaron Philon has made his final decision about his basketball future. The freshman phenom will remain in the 2025 NBA draft and will not return to Alabama. On Wednesday, ESPN's Jeff Borzello reported on X that Philon has already informed Alabama coach Nate Oats of his choice.

“I’m all-in on the draft,” Philon said. “They weren’t surprised. They knew it already.”

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In his sole season at Alabama, the 6-foot-4 point guard put up 10.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. He led the team in steals with 1.4 spg and found shooting success, averaging 45.2%.

Philon appeared in all 37 games for the Crimson Tide, making 29 starts. With the guard's help, Alabama appeared in a second consecutive Elite Eight and finished the season ranked No. 6.

Philon was one of the most valuable first-year players in the country. He was a three-time SEC Freshman of the Week on his way to being named to the SEC All-Freshman team.

Nate Oats is also losing Alabama starters Mark Sears and Grant Nelson to the NBA draft. Oats will aim to continue leading the Clemson Tide to success in the absence of the three stars.

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

Labaron Philon draft profile

Philon is an impressive point guard prospect with a high basketball IQ and good speed. He has defensive depth and confidence beyond his years. Although he likely won't be a first-round selection in the 2025 NBA draft, Philon has a versatile skill set that will be of value at the professional level.

At 6-foot-4, Philon is slightly undersized. He's not a big vertical threat, something that is typical of NBA point guards. While his shot blocking needs work and may be hard to develop due to his size, he has shown his defensive capabilities through his stealing success at Alabama.

Philon navigates traffic on the court well and is a solid shot finisher. While he struggles somewhat with turning over the ball, he has a good assist-to-turnover ratio, averaging 3.8 apg with 1.7 tpg.

ESPN's latest mock draft has the guard drafted No. 36 by the Brooklyn Nets. The young guard has areas where he needs to continue to develop, but he has proven success with the Crimson Tide and talents that should translate well to the NBA.

About the author

Lindsey Ware is a college sports journalist at Sportskeeda with over five years of experience working with publications such as The News & Observer, The Daily Tar Heel, Triangle Tribune and Cardiac Cane. She has also worked for Major League Baseball, The Holly Springs Salamanders, The Tri-City Chili Peppers, Tuffy Talk, Super Meteors Basketball, Just Good Network and Living Sport.

Lindsey has a Bachelor’s Degree in Media and Journalism from UNC Chapel Hill. Her education allowed Lindsey to gain experience in sports communication, which she honed in internships. Other than being a storyteller and sports fanatic, Lindsey is also a social media and marketing specialist.

Her favorite college team is UNC, although she grew up a N.C. State fan as both of her parents are Wolfpack alumni. Michael Jordan was a huge deal in North Carolina when Lindsey was growing up, and after a summer spent at UNC’s Sports Journalism Camp back in high school, Lindsey was set on being a Tar Heel.

Lindsey's favorite college coach of all time is Roy Williams. During her time attending UNC Chapel Hill and writing for The Daily Tar Heel, Lindsey was lucky enough to meet and speak with Williams a few times. He was like a celebrity on UNC’s campus and was beloved for his coaching style and success with the Tar Heels, accumulating three NCAA championship titles in 18 years.

When not watching or writing about sports, Lindsey enjoys reading, trying new restaurants and coffee shops, and spending time with my friends, family and dog. She also likes to journal, watch movies and paint.

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Edited by Ribin Peter