For the third time since 2020, the Philadelphia 76ers benefited from an unexpected draft night slide. This year, that slide resulted in the Sixers drafting Labaron Philon Jr.

In his sophomore season at Alabama, Philon was one of the most productive guards in college basketball. In a guard-heavy draft class, Philon slid to No. 22, drawing comparisons to Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain, who also fell farther than expected before landing in Philadelphia in 2020 and 2024.

Sixers President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey admitted after the draft that the organization was somewhat surprised Philon was still on the board when Philadelphia selected at No. 22. With Philon ranked highly on the team’s draft board, the front office chose to prioritize talent over positional need, taking what it believed was the best player available.

The similarities to Maxey are difficult to ignore. In 2020, Philadelphia watched a player widely viewed as a top 10-15 talent fall to the 21st pick. Maxey eventually developed into an All-Star, All-NBA performer, and the face of the franchise’s next era. Now, six years later, the Sixers are once again betting on upside, skill, and value over potential team need.

Philadelphia experienced a similar scenario in 2024 when Jared McCain remained on the board long enough for the organization to select him. The former Duke Blue Devil was widely expected to be taken at the end of the lottery and slipped to the 16th overall selection. While McCain’s time with the Sixers ultimately ended in a trade at last season’s trade deadline, his availability reinforced an emerging trend: talented guards have repeatedly fallen directly into Philadelphia’s lap on draft night.

No one can predict whether Philon will follow Maxey’s path from draft-night steal to franchise cornerstone. Those expectations would be unfair for any rookie. However, history suggests that when the Sixers find themselves selecting a guard that was surprisingly available in the 20s, it is worth paying attention.

Maxey became a star. McCain looked like another major hit before being moved. Now Philadelphia is hoping Philon becomes the latest example of draft-night luck.

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Keywords

Philadelphia 76ers,

Sixers,

Labaron Philon,

Tyrese Maxey,

Jared McCain,

Mike Gansey,

NBA Draft,

Alabama basketball,

Sixers draft,

NBA Draft 2026