The NBA Draft Combine in Chicago came to a close on Sunday. With that, ESPN draft experts Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo updated their 2025 mock drafts.
Alabama guard Labaron Philon officially decided to stay in the draft after initially leaving the door open for a possible return to Tuscaloosa. His decision to forego his remaining college eligibility, coupled with him not participating in 5-on-5 drills, made many believe he had received a promise from a team in the first-round.
According to ESPN, maybe not.
In ESPN's latest mock draft, Philon is still in the second-round range. The updated mock has Philon being selected with the 33rd overall pick to the Charlotte Hornets. There, he would join another Alabama one-and-done player in Brandon Miller, who was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft.
It's a sizable jump from the 40s, where Givony had Philon prior to the Combine, but it's still not one of the coveted first-round slots that comes with guaranteed money.
Some early second-round picks get guaranteed contracts, most don't. Philon would be rolling the dice by staying in the draft as a projected second-round pick.
ESPN has consistently been lower on Philon than most other publications. Many have projected Philon as a first-round pick even prior to the Combine. His decision not to participate in 5-on-5 scrimmages in Chicago is a curious one if he's not locked into the first-round. The majority of players who skip out on scrimmages are comfortable with their draft position.
Another updated mock draft has Philon in the second-round
Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman agrees with Givony's assessment. In his updated mock draft, he has Philon going No. 39 overall to the Toronto Raptors.
Philon has the intangibles and translatable skills that make him intriguing. He's got a quick first step and good court vision. It's easy to see him as a lead guard at the NBA level. But he's not a super explosive athlete, and his shot still needs work. It's those things that made many believe he would have benefited from a second year of college basketball rather than jumping to the NBA.
It's also likely that Philon will spend the majority of his rookie season - if not longer - in the NBA's developmental G-League. He could take more of a JD Davison-like path to the league rather than a more seamless transition to the next level.