Labaron Philon Jr. was visiting Miami when he woke up on July 24 to about five calls.
And when the 76ers’ rookie actually looked at his phone, “it was, like, a big ‘Wow’” to learn that LeBron James had decided to sign with his team.
“Who wouldn’t want to be around that?” Philon said Monday from an appearance at Sunrise Day Camp-Greater Philadelphia’s basketball clinic at Kaiserman JCC in Wynnewood. “I feel like we’ve got a lot of great guys, and [we are] just going to continue to do the right things and just make it happen.”
Philon acknowledged this wild Sixers offseason — they also traded for All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown on July 1 — is not what he expected after the team drafted him in late June. But the former Alabama guard is ready for a debut NBA season suddenly with “a lot at stake.”
“Those older guys being able to teach us young players what we need to know, I feel like that’s a very important thing for me,” Philon said. “Just being a rookie and being able to be around all those guys is a privilege for me. You don’t get to see a rookie get to play with five guys that can potentially make an All-Star team [James, Brown, Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and VJ Edgecombe].
“I feel like you can learn every day, and every day you can compete against them to get better.”
Perhaps Philon landing in the Sixers’ lap with the 22nd overall pick foreshadowed what they would pull off during a transformational summer. On draft night, Philon called Philly the “perfect spot” for him on a FaceTime call with electric fellow guards Maxey, who last season earned All-NBA status for the first time in his career, and Edgecombe, who finished third on a fantastic Rookie of the Year ballot.
Then the Sixers acquired Brown in a stunning blockbuster trade, which sent former perennial All-Star Paul George and four draft picks to the Boston Celtics. Then James, arguably the best player of all time, chose to sign a two-year, $4 million deal with the Sixers in his final pursuit of a championship. Earlier this month, Philon lauded Brown’s “championship DNA.” He added on Monday that he is eager to learn about how James takes care of his body, because he also would like his NBA career to last into his 40s.
“Being able to have that longevity,” Philon said of James, “that’s God-given ability.”
In between his team’s two monster personnel moves, Philon took the floor in a Sixers jersey for the first time at Las Vegas Summer League.
He showed off his crafty handle, passing ability, and fearless shot-taking. But the 6-foot-3, 176-pound Philon came away from those games recognizing he needed to “sharpen my tools,” including quickening his shot release. During his two college seasons, Philon dramatically improved his stats, upping his three-point percentage from 31.5% to 39.7%, his scoring from 10.6 to 22 points per game, and his assists from 3.8 to 4.9 per game.
“Just finding out how I can impact the team as much as I can,” Philon said. “I’ve got to put in a lot of work. All of us got work to put in.”
The Sixers’ roster revamp means Philon’s initially anticipated role might diminish or change. In addition to adding Brown and James, the team also signed sharpshooting reserve guard Anfernee Simons and is expected to sign veteran 3-and-D wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. But Sixers coach Nick Nurse has proven he is willing to play young guards, including Edgcombe and former Sixer Jared McCain as rookies.
“He’s in the rotation until something changes,” Nurse said of Philon at Summer League, before James signed. “I just feel like he’s talented enough. I think we liked him enough as a staff [and] organization. … He’s going this direction [up] quickly, and I think he’s got some confidence to him that I don’t think he’ll be afraid. I think he’ll make the most of the opportunity.”
As for the rest of Philon’s offseason, before the Sixers begin training camp in late September?
First, he still needs to formally move to the Philly area. Events like Monday’s, designed for children with cancer and their siblings, help him “fit right in” with a passionate sports community. When asked how much time he will spend in market versus elsewhere — such as in Los Angeles for Sixers assistant coach Rico Hines’ renowned pickup games — Philon quipped, “Wherever basketball at, I’ll be there.”
Then, he will formally begin to play with the Sixers’ star-studded roster. Becoming the first domino of their wild offseason is not exactly what Philon envisioned on draft night less than five weeks ago. But he is ready for a rookie ride that coincides with his new team’s championship push.
“I’ve been doing a good job of keeping my composure,” Philon said. “Staying [in] a steady mindset and just ready to get to work.”
