Austin Krell @NBAKrell

The Knicks are reportedly likely to lose a significant contributor to their title run, and that guy happens to be a damn-near-perfect fit for the Sixers. Should they go all in? The free-agent rush is beginning: si.com/nba/76ers/onsi…

@awalheim24 Counting can be hard.

Jahlil Okafor as the 72nd best athlete in Philadelphia since 2000 is where I probably would've dumped the caller.

Spike Eskin @SpikeEskin

5 hours ago

Herb from the Northeast's Top 80 (81) athletes since 2000 (sorry for the spelling I was writing fast)

73 11 113 75K 12

NEW @SixersOnSI Mike Gansey described Labaron Philon Jr. as 'loyal'. How Alabama taught Philon loyalty while also preparing him for the next level: si.com/nba/76ers/onsi…

Jhoan Duran at 48 is outrageous. Rhys Hoskins and VJ Edgecombe ahead of Joel Embiid is nonsense. Embiid above Ryan Howard is probably crazy. 15 of the Eagles above Embiid never won a Super Bowl here and thus have no business being anywhere near that high.

And lastly, Philon addressed the fans: "I would just say first of all, they're getting somebody who's going to work hard and be in the gym every day. I would describe my game as, like you said, kind of smooth. Be able to get guys involved and provide for myself really. Just being with the Sixers is definitely a fun experience for me, coming to a great team with great coaches, great staff and everything. Being able to play for guys that actually won a championship and have championship DNA through the whole program. So, for me, just bringing that winning pedigree to the Sixers, really."

Philon on the impact playing in the SEC had on his development: "It's hard competition every night and you're going against some of the best athletes in the conference. But just playing for that conference, I feel like it definitely helped me get to this point, helped me be ready for the next level because guys are physical and they don't just let little fouls get in the way. I feel like the refs are pretty in tune and they know the conference, so being able to play that style of basketball is definitely a playoff style of basketball for sure when it gets to conference play and stuff like that. I feel like Coach Oates definitely did a great job of handling the schedule, putting me in game situations that he knew were going to be big moments. Everybody in the program, we all wanted those moments. We all wanted those games. Really just being able to see that as a player, that my coach wanted to play the best, he wanted the best out of us. So that was a great experience, definitely, my two years in there."

Philon on when he knew he'd make the NBA: "I would say middle school, definitely. Going into middle school, going into a great school and going into high school as well. Being taken in by a coach that really didn't know much about me. Another coach brought me to him. So it was fun, it was definitely a fun experience being able to see that and see my game grow a lot, it was definitely fun for me. But just being at Baker [High School], it meant everything to me. Being at a high school that really cared about my success, my grades and stuff like that. Kept me on the right track, so I thank all those people too. Philon on where his feel for the game comes from: "Playing by yourself, shooting by yourself, I actually think I was rebounding by myself too. So being by yourself, you got to work on a lot of things. Like I said, just using that imagination, being able to put yourself in game situations, I feel like that really helped me a lot at a young age. Being able to see where the defense was coming from or, as a guard, where is the help coming from. I feel like that helps you become a better passer. So like I said, just making the game easy on myself and using that imagination."

Philon on what he's like during workouts to be able to drill down on improvement areas: "You have to use a lot of imagination with those workouts. It's like imagine putting yourself in the position that you would be in a game, and then for me it's always going game speed. Being able to get game reps and just replicating that. I feel like if you're working out and you're not going at game pace, you're not going to have a feel for what it's like to be in the moment. So really just making those decisions with the coaches and people helping you with the workouts, making it easier for you to make the read in the game. So really just breaking it down, I feel like more of my workouts have turned into a hard pace. Making decisions and making the right reads, for sure."

Philon on how he learns his teammates as a ball-handler and figures out how he can help the best: "Being someone that needs the ball a lot is really not important. You have to be able to learn how to score without the ball, learn how to get guys involved without the ball in your hands. From my freshman, my sophomore year, that was a big jump. My freshman year, I found out how to do that without the ball. My second year I went back, I had it a little bit more. So it was finding out what your teammates like, the spots they like on the court, and the things they like to do while playing. I describe it as making the game easy for everybody around you and not making the game hard for your teammates. Being able to play advantage basketball and being able to stay on the right page, be focused within the team and not yourself so that's something they taught me back at Alabama and I carried it a long way and it's had a big total of success on my career so being able to keep playing that way and not changing now, I feel like it's really important."

Labaron Philon on whether Tyrese Maxey has talked about getting together to work out over the summer: "I haven't talked to him a lot, just with everything going on in the draft. But he hit my number, just told me hit him when I need anything. Definitely it was great to see that, that the Sixers actually selected me, because similar play style. But really just hearing from him was definitely exciting for me just to see another top guard like that in the league being able to take a young guy in and just show him the ropes. So I'm really excited to get to work with him."

Labaron Philon on the roots of his competitive nature and what motivates him as a competitor: "That competitive juice is everything to me. Being able to compete, I feel like you have to compete hard to survive in this league. So bringing that to the table day one, I feel like it's special just for a rookie to be able to compete with the top guys and the top dogs. So from day one, being ready to work and being ready to get on the court."

Labaron Philon on playing off two feet and using the Nash dribble: "I would just say, with the ball-handling, definitely started on the streets in my mom's backyard. But definitely at Alabama, working on everything I needed to work on, just working on getting into the paint, working on slowing things down and making the game easy for you and the people around you, that's one of the best traits I bring to the table. Really just making the game easier for others, really just getting into the paint, being able to provide for myself and my teammates. I feel like really just working on that footwork, things like that, it's very important to have other options and not just being able to look to score the ball. For me, that's a very important trait."

Labaron Philon on the FaceTime he had with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe after being selected: "Hearing from those guys is definitely special. You know, two of the guys that were two of the best guards on one of the best teams in the East. But now talking with those guys, it was very important for me just to hear from them and Tyrese and VJ, just because I watched those guys play all season long and one thing I'll say about those guys, they're just competitors. Really, for me, being able to come in and compete to the level that those guys did—VJ, especially, his first year—just hearing the things he went through and from Max, being able to learn from somebody that's a really great player, really a superstar in our league. So, those guys, definitely a combination of a great mix and just adding me...definitely going to be special."

Labaron Philon on comparing himself to other guards in the class and being competitive with them: "Not really. I feel like just worrying about myself, really. Worrying about my own game, worry about me just getting better and the production. I'd also say, for myself, working hard, working really hard just to get to that point, I feel like you don't get there comparing yourself to nobody. So, just worry about your own game, really, being ready to get with the guys and put a step forward and turning this chapter. Like I said, draft night was a great night but really just focus on the main thing and get ready to play some great basketball."

Labaron Philon Jr. on the conversations he's had with the Sixers since the draft as far as first steps and initial objectives: "Draft night, it was definitely a special night but just moving on past that, talking with the staff and everybody around the program, definitely a great feeling just to get me down here and excited to be in the facility, really. But for me, it's just like being one of the top guards in the draft, I feel like myself, it's really just keep working hard and stepping forward and putting my head down. Ready to go to work, really."

The newest Sixer.

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Greetings from Camden. Labaron Philon Jr. will speak in about 30 minutes. What do you wanna know?

@drsixers You are technically right but they are, as a concept, artificial. They go away once the players sign new contracts, which I’m assuming Grimes and Oubre will do one way or another and not just be out of the NBA.

The draft is over. The Sixers come away with Labaron Philon. No second-round pick. This is how their cap sheet will look heading into free agency, adjusted for Philon's slot value at pick 22. What you need to know: - 2-way deals will probably fly around soon, they do not count toward the cap sheet - Sixers have 2 routes in free agency: $6.065M tax mid-level, hard-capping themselves at second apron; $15.048M non-tax mid-level + $5.478M bi-annual exception, either of which hard-caps them at first apron - They have space below the aprons to spend the entire sum allowed by either route, space for veteran minimums will vary depending on which route they go - Re-signing Quentin Grimes and/or Kelly Oubre Jr. only eats at the space below the aprons, reducing the amount they can spend on external FAs by each dollar allocated to Grimes/Oubre - In theory, they could renounce the rights they have to Grimes and Oubre and still bring them back, it would just probably indicate they struck out on all other ideas