Labaron Philon's draft-day fall was curious. After an outstanding sophomore season at Alabama, it appeared Philon would be an obvious lottery pick.
Instead, the big-brained NBA scouting machine allowed Philon to slip to No. 22, where the Philadelphia 76ers happily took the Crimson Tide star. After two Summer League games, it already feels like the Sixers landed a steal.
And at least one team that passed on Philon might be having buyer's remorse.
Philon followed up an impressive debut with an even more impressive second game. The Sixers defeated the Pacers 100-93 in overtime. Philon led the way with 24 points and six assists, finishing as a +14.
Labaron Philon Jr.'s 24 points led the Sixers in their second Summer League game 🔥 pic.twitter.com/PRkzHlDOiy
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) July 11, 2026
And while Philon has gotten off to a quick start and looks like a rookie capable of helping a contender in Philadelphia, another first-year guard has gotten off to a rocky start in his first two Summer League outings, which is causing fans to immediately question the decision to pass on Philon.
The Charlotte Hornets may be having regrets on passing on Labaron Philon
The Hornets were in a prime position to draft Philon to pair him with former Alabama star Brandon Miller.
Instead, Charlotte took Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson, despite the fact that Philon got the better of Anderson and the Red Raiders in Alabama's blowout win over Texas Tech in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Anderson has gotten off to a rough start in Summer League:
1st Game: 6 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 26 minutes (2-of-11 from the floor, 0-of-5 from 3)
2nd Game: 12 points, 3 rebounds, 0 assists, 28 minutes (5-of-14 from the floor, 2-of-8 from 3)
Anderson's calling card was his three-point shooting, but he's just 2-of-13 from distance in Summer League, while Philon has connected on 40% of his attempts across two games.
This isn't a surprise to Alabama fans, or college basketball fans in general, who watched the Crimson Tide's annihilation of the Red Raiders in the tournament.
Anderson scored just 7 points on 2-of-11 shooting from the floor in Alabama's 90-65 win.
Philon had similar struggles from the floor, scoring just 9 points on 2-of-12 shooting, but he showed his all-around game and how he can make an impact without scoring. Anderson got bogged down by the struggles from the field and only managed three assists. Philon, on the other hand, dished out 12 dimes and added six rebounds to help Alabama run away from Texas Tech.
It seemed obvious from that matchup who the better player was. It has seemed obvious from the first couple of Summer League games who the better player is.
The Hornets are probably learning it now, a few weeks too late.
