Labaron Philon, Mark Sears, and Grant Nelson will be representing Alabama at the NBA Combine in Chicago later this month, the NBA announced on Friday. They are three of the 75 players invited by the league to compete:
The NBA announced today that 75 players have been invited to the 2025 NBA Draft Combine, which will take place from May 11-18 at Wintrust Arena and the Marriott Marquis in Chicago.
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 2, 2025
Additionally, a select number of standout players from the 2025 NBA G League Elite Camp, which… pic.twitter.com/KlCy4tcvW8
As of right now, Philon is the only one of the three projected to be drafted, but a lot can change in the pre-draft process.
Sears and Nelson attended the NBA Combine a year ago as they went through the draft process. Both ultimately withdrew and returned to Alabama for their final season of eligibility. Sears and Nelson have a chance to work their way into the late 2nd Round range, though both will likely go undrafted and ultimately end up getting an opportunity in the G-League.
Philon is Alabama's top draft prospect. He also hasn't fully ruled out a return to the Crimson Tide for his sophomore season just yet. Most experts view Philon as a late 1st Round pick at the moment, but again, a lot can change in the coming weeks.
The NBA Combine will take place in Chicago from May 11-18th. Following that, we should get a pretty good idea of what Philon will choose to do. The deadline to withdraw from the draft and return to college is May 28th. The combine should provide the feedback that Philon needs to make a decision on what is best for him.
Philon's looming decision could shape Alabama's 2025-26 season
Nate Oats has earned the trust of the fanbase. Projecting Alabama to be good next season without Philon takes into account leaps from a couple of players. While that's not a given, Oats has a history of developing players that cannot be ignored.
Aden Holloway improved tremendously in Oats's system from his freshman-to-sophomore seasons. Odds seem good that Miami (FL) transfer Jalil Bethea could see a similar jump. And that Holloway could see another jump with another year of experience under his belt.
Alabama will need it from both of those guys, and for Latrell Wrightsell to shake off any lingering injury rust quickly if Philon chooses to stay in the draft. Alabama fans should prepare for the reality that it is much more likely than not that Philon remains in. He's likely to perform well in Chicago at the combine and should see his draft stock continue to rise.
Oats may need to pivot. Odds are he already has. He won't be caught off guard by Philon's decision. He might keep a spot open for him just in case, but he's got a plan B in mind. We just don't know what it is yet.