The NBA Draft is just eight days away. Labaron Philon is Alabama's only draft hopeful this cycle after Amari Allen opted to exit the process and return to the Crimson Tide for his sophomore season. Philon is a first-round lock, but it remains to be seen where he will ultimately be selected.
He's been mocked inside the lottery for much of the process, but he didn't help himself much at the Combine a few weeks ago. While he's still a lock to be picked in the first round, he's got a wider range of possibilities than most assumed coming in.
It's a deep class of guards, and there are some concerns about Philon's athleticism despite the prolific sophomore season at Alabama that saw him earn 3rd Team All-American honors after averaging 22 points per game and shooting 39.9% from three.
The draft probably starts for him around No. 10 to the Milwaukee Bucks, but the possibility of a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade looms large there and at No. 13, where the Miami Heat are picking. Philon has worked out for both teams during the pre-draft process.
There are a lot of variables for Philon on draft night. ESPN's Jeremy Woo laid out another in his updated mock draft on Monday.
ESPN's Jeremy Woo projects Labaron Philon at No. 17 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in latest mock draft
Going to the Oklahoma City Thunder would put Philon on a team that is expected to be an NBA contender for a long, long time. It wouldn't lead to a whole lot of early playing time in a loaded backcourt and roster, but he would have plenty of time to develop in the background with one of the best player-development organizations in the NBA.
There is a catch to that, however.
"This pick is viewed by teams as one of the most likely in the first round to change hands, as it's anticipated that the Thunder will make moves around the draft," Woo writes.
The Thunder have picks No. 12 and No. 17 in the first round, and many have expected that they might try to package those two picks and move into the Top 10 of the draft to grab a more impactful player. Oklahoma City is deep and has limited roster spots, so adding two rookies might not be feasible.
It seems unlikely that the Thunder will make the pick at No. 17, which means Philon's chances of playing for the 2025 NBA Champions are probably pretty low, despite his spot in Woo's latest mock.
Other teams in the Top 20 who could be interested in the Alabama guard are the Golden State Warriors (No. 11), Memphis Grizzlies (No. 16), and Toronto Raptors (No. 19). The Raptors at No. 19 have been seen as Philon's floor by most draft experts.
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