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Sixers Take Labaron Philon Jr. With No. 22 Pick

Philon’s fall from late‑lottery projections gives Philadelphia a scoring ball‑handler the front office says could fit into occasional three‑guard small‑ball lineups.

Overview

  • The 76ers used the No. 22 overall pick to select Labaron Philon Jr., and he was their lone addition in the 2026 NBA Draft.
  • Philon arrives off a breakout sophomore year at Alabama when he averaged 22.0 points and 5.0 assists while shooting 50.1% overall and 39.9% from three.
  • President Mike Gansey and coach Nick Nurse have discussed short three‑guard looks pairing Philon with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe as a way to add ballhandling and scoring depth.
  • The team has added Javontae Campbell to its Summer League roster and will use Las Vegas play to evaluate Philon’s defensive matchups and readiness for rotation minutes.
  • Philon has already drawn media attention for a viral comment about Alperen Sengun, and questions remain about his size on defense and how often Philadelphia will deploy small lineups this season.