Labaron Philon: Three Thoughts on Kansas' Latest Commitment

Bill Self struck again, this time landing a commitment from four-star point guard Labaron Philon. Philon is the Jayhawks’ second commitment of the 2024 cycle, joining Five-Star Plus+ center Flory Bidunga.

Kansas is two years removed from a national championship, finishing last season with a 28-8 record and another first-place finish in the Big 12. 

Let’s discuss what getting Labaron Philon means for the Jayhawks.

Who is Labaron Philon?

Labaron Philon is the No. 47 player in the 2024 On3 150 and the No. 5 point guard in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking. The 6-foot-3, 175-pound guard was formerly committed to Auburn; he also took an official visit to Cincinnati. 

Philon has scored 2,334 career points at Mobile (AL) Baker High, including 1,075 last season. In his three varsity seasons, he shot 49.2 percent shooter from the field. Philon transferred to Branson (MO) Link Academy to play his senior season. This summer, playing with Team Thad on Nike’s EYBL Circuit, Philon averaged 12.6 points and 4.5 assists. 

What does he bring to Kansas?

Labaron Philon plays with a confident pace. He has good size, with nice length, and an ability to score the basketball in a number of ways. Philon is a big-time high school scorer; while not an elite athlete, he uses his pace, along with an assortment of hesitation dribbles, to get into the paint and finish. The lack of top-end burst can hurt him at the rim, but he can be crafty there. He understands angles and has good footwork while preferring a pull-up or floater once he is in and around the paint. 

Philon is a serviceable shooter. The form looks good, and the release is consistent. He will need to continue working on the balance aspect of his shooting and finding his comfortable spots on the floor. Philon shot 33 percent from three during his high school season and 25 percent from three during Nike’s EYBL Circuit. The touch is there as he shot 82 percent from the free-throw line.

Philon is a smart and competitive defender. He is not afraid to mix it up and is able to use his footwork and angles to make up for his footspeed guarding the ball. Philon has good length and a natural anticipation as a team defender.

Philon plays with a great demeanor. He is not afraid of the moment and willing to do what it takes to put his team in the best position for a win. 

How Philon fits in the lineup?

Bill Self’s best teams are deep with talented guards. Labaron Philon is a top-50 player, across the board, who has never blinked when the bright lights have come on. Kansas brought in Elmarko Jackson in the 2023 class, but there is a real chance for him to be a one-and-done player. 

Starting point guard Dajuan Harris has a year of eligibility after this season if he wants it. Outside of Jackson, the only other guard on the roster who has eligibility left – not counting Arterio Morris – is freshman Jamari McDowell. 

Philon has the frame and game to play on or off the ball. They still have four-star wing Billy Richmond, three-star center Emmanuel Stephen, and Five-Star Plus+ forward Cooper Flagg with scheduled visits for this cycle.

Philon talks Kansas

“Coach Jeremy Case has been recruiting me for a long time,” Philon told On3 in a previous interview. “With me going to Link Academy, Kansas is right there, so I’m pretty sure he’s going to visit me a lot. My visit there will probably be a special one. Being a long way from home doesn’t really mean anything, but now that I’m going to Link Academy, I’ll have a better chance of getting down there and seeing a game in Allen Fieldhouse. So that’ll be a good thing.”