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Alabama's Labaron Philon declares for 2025 NBA Draft

On3 imageby:Sam Gillenwater•04/14/25•

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Alabama G Labaron Philon
Jeff Lange | USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Alabama’s Labaron Philon was one of the better freshman guards in the country this season in Tuscaloosa. That will now, by all indications, be his only college season with the latest news on Monday.

Philon has declared himself for the 2025 NBA Draft, per ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. That came with a quote stating he’s “all in on starting (his) pro career” with that all but meaning he’ll be entering it with no plans to maintain his collegiate eligibility.

“NEWS: Alabama’s Labaron Philon will enter the NBA Draft, he told ESPN,” Givony tweeted on Monday afternoon. “Philon brings strong two-way versatility and winning qualities NBA teams covet at the point guard position.”

Philon made 37 appearances, 29 being starts, as a true freshman this year at ‘Bama. He averaged 10.6 points (45.2% FG, 31.5% 3PT), 3.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and a team-high of 1.4 steals, being top-five in all major statistics for the Tide, in those games during his lone collegiate season. That was able to earn him a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team.

Philon, a native of Mobile, played in high school at Link Academy in Branson, Missouri. He was the No. 35 overall recruit there as a four-star in the 2024 cycle per the On3 Industry Ranking. He also rated as the No. 6 PG in the class and the No. 2 player in Missouri behind only his teammate in Tre Johnson (Texas), who would win SEC Freshman of the Year and has also since declared for the NBA Draft.

With this, Alabama is down to just one returner from their class of four signees that ranked at No. 3 in ’24. Philon will be going to the next level while Derrion Reid and Naas Cunningham have both entered their names into the NCAA Transfer Portal. That leaves just Aiden Sherrell from that recruiting cycle still in T-Town.

Philon had a big decision to make for this draft as someone projecting towards the back of the first round or the early parts of the second. Now, though, with him officially declaring, he’ll now try to solidify himself into that opening round over the next two months in time for the draft at the end of June.