Labaron Philon, starting guard for Alabama basketball, declared for the 2025 NBA Draft in an Instagram post, expressing his lifelong dream of playing in the NBA and his eagerness to pursue it. Philon's decision to focus on his professional career indicates he is unlikely to return to Alabama, where he had an impactful season starting 29 games out of 37, averaging 10.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 45.2% from the field and 31.5% from three-point range.
With Philon's departure, Alabama faces a gap at the point guard position as returning guards Mark Sears and Chris Youngblood have exhausted their eligibility. The team will rely on junior Aden Holloway, graduate Latrell Wrightsell Jr., and newcomer Jalil Bethea from Miami. Head coach Nate Oats may seek additional guard options in the transfer portal to bolster the roster, which currently has 10 committed scholarship players, below the NCAA limit of 13, with room for potential additions before the season commences.