Philon is another massive addition to the Tide’s 2024-25 roster, which is shaping up to be one of the best in the nation.
Nate Oats, Preston Murphy and the rest of the Alabama basketball coaching staff continue to flex their muscles in recruiting.
Labaron Philon, who signed with with Kansas Jayhawks in November of 2023 and was released from his National Letter of Intent on Apr. 25, committed to the Alabama on Sunday. The Mobile native, and one-time Auburn commit, included the Crimson Tide is his finalists before committing to Bill Self last September.
“Ready to get back to my home state!” Baron told Bama247 before he arrived Saturday at Alabama for an official visit.
Philon went in-depth about his decision to commit during an interview with Bama247.
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The No. 3 point guard in the country played his first three season at Baker (AL) High School before transferring to Link Academy (MO) for his senior year. The 6-foot-4 point guard put together one of the best junior seasons in the state being named Alabama’s Mr. Basketball. He was also named Alabama basketball Gatorade Player of the Year and MaxPrep’s Alabama High School Basketball Player of the Year in 2023. Philon averaged 35 points and six rebounds per game including 50% from the field.
Philon averaged 11.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.3 steals a game while shooting 53.6% from the field (44.1% from 3) during his senior season in the Nike EYBL Scholastic League with Link Academy.
“Philon is a tough and dynamic two-way guard that is very instinctive on the court, who is a disruptive and impactful defender while being an effective playmaker and scorer offensively,” said 247Sports Travis Branham.
The four-star recruit and No. 32 player in the 2024 class, becomes the fourth high school signee in the class joining five-stars Derrion Reid (No. 3 PF), Aiden Sherrell (No. 7 C), and four-star Naas Cunningham (No. 11 SF). He also joins a trio of transfer portal additions.
The Crimson Tide made another big splash on Apr. 20 with the addition of Auburn guard Aden Holloway, the No. 3 ranked point guard in the 2023 class. The former Prolific Prep (Napa, CA) standout, the same school as Reid and Sherrell, joined Pepperdine guard Houston Mallette and USF sharp-shooter Chris Youngblood. Mallette shot 42% from 3PT last season. Youngblood, a Tuscaloosa-native, is a career 40% shooter from deep.
Alabama also returns Latrell Wrightsell, Jr. to its backcourt and will await a decision from second-team All-American Mark Sears, who has through May 29 to withdraw from the 2024 NBA draft and return for a fifth season.
Alabama entered Saturday with the No. 2 overall class — including high school and transfer additions — which trailed only Duke, and the No. 7 high school class. Philon’s addition pushes Alabama up to No. 2 in high school recruiting rankings, behind only Duke.
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