2026 draft

[Lipoli390]

Just watched a small sample of some game film breakdown so not highlights and what immediately struck me about Philin vs the other guys I watched was the kid shoots right hand but fineshes and attacks the rim left handed mostly? Or at least is super comfy doing it. Watch highlights of Anderson or okorie and find me one lefty finish…I’ll wait. Main point is Philon could translate sooner if he legit can finish at the rim and has the handle to shake guys like a young Edwards beyond the arc…I’m sold!

I also watched Philon highlights and noticed the same thing. He’s clearly ambidextrous, which I consider a highly underrated attribute for a guard coming into the NBA. I think the ability to use both hands equally at a high level is a major determinant of NBA success for a guard. Until reading the recent reports about the Wolves interest, I hadn’t paid much attention to Philon, although he’s been on my list of PGs I like in this draft. His numbers are incredibly impressive. As a sophomore he averaged 22 points, 5 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 31 minutes per game. Comparing him to the other top PGs in this draft who are rated higher on all the draft boards I’ve seen, Philon averaged more points and assists than Darryn Peterson, Keaton Wagler, or Mikel Brown. He averaged more points and about the same number of assists as Kingston Flemings. His length is comparable to all of them. While he’s relatively thin at 176 pounds, that’s still 10 pounds heavier than Dillingham and not problematic as I see it.

What stands out most to me about Philon’s stats are his 50% FG shooting and 6.2 free throw attempts per game. I wrote a post many years ago showing a strong correlation between 50% college FG shooting and NBA success as a guard. That stat is often overlooked as we delve into more granular modern metrics, but I love that stat as a measure of a guard’s ability to finish at the rim and hit mid-range shots. Paired with his 40% 3-point shooting, I have a lot of confidence in Philon as an NBA shooter. When you watch his video highlights, you see really good footwork and an exceptional ability to change speed and direction. He looks amazingly smooth - reminding me a bit of Rod Strickland in that way. His 6.2 trips to the line is another stand-out stat that bodes well for NBA success. It reflects both a high basketball IQ and excellent ball and body control on dribble penetration. Again, the highlight videos support this thesis. I see a player with excellent court-awareness and intelligence in the way he plays with the ball in his hands.

The comparison to Bones is a bit misplaced even though the two have a similar build and had similar college sophomore stats. Philon averaged more points than Bones, but more importantly Philon averaged 5.0 assists compared to Bones averaging around 2.5. In other words, Philon is a legitimate PG/facilitator while Bones we really a shooting guard in a PG’s body. I still like Christian Anderson slightly more than Philon based on Anderson’s superior athleticism and the fact that he had comparable numbers as a Freshman. I’d be happy using Randle and #28 to trade up for either one.

[WildWolf2813]

I like Philon, but it's so clear that Tim Connelly has a type.

Don't trade future picks to get this guy and then ever mention the word "flexibility."

[rapsuperstar31]

I do not recall ever hearing a rumor of what the wolves might do under TC actually happen. It’s all been a surprise swerve and I think TC is smart and connected and a good enough card player to not let stuff slip out. If it’s smoke so far it’s been a screen and not a fire….

I think the only reason his workout leaked, was because Philon himself posted a picture outside of Target Center last night.

[Lipoli390]

I do not recall ever hearing a rumor of what the wolves might do under TC actually happen. It’s all been a surprise swerve and I think TC is smart and connected and a good enough card player to not let stuff slip out. If it’s smoke so far it’s been a screen and not a fire….

I think the only reason his workout leaked, was because Philon himself posted a picture outside of Target Center last night.

That’s probably right, Rap. TC doesn’t play those sorts of smoke and mirrors games. His style is exploring all his options and keeping things close to the vest. He’s a straight shooter. Moreover, TC has nothing to gain by leaking this workout. It’s unfortunate the entire League now knows the Wolves are interested in possibly trading up for Philon, but I doubt it was a secret before the this story came out. I don’t think this story has any implications other than providing us with something to post about.

[Monster]

Just watched a small sample of some game film breakdown so not highlights and what immediately struck me about Philin vs the other guys I watched was the kid shoots right hand but fineshes and attacks the rim left handed mostly? Or at least is super comfy doing it. Watch highlights of Anderson or okorie and find me one lefty finish…I’ll wait. Main point is Philon could translate sooner if he legit can finish at the rim and has the handle to shake guys like a young Edwards beyond the arc…I’m sold!

I also watched Philon highlights and noticed the same thing. He’s clearly ambidextrous, which I consider a highly underrated attribute for a guard coming into the NBA. I think the ability to use both hands equally at a high level is a major determinant of NBA success for a guard. Until reading the recent reports about the Wolves interest, I hadn’t paid much attention to Philon, although he’s been on my list of PGs I like in this draft. His numbers are incredibly impressive. As a sophomore he averaged 22 points, 5 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 31 minutes per game. Comparing him to the other top PGs in this draft who are rated higher on all the draft boards I’ve seen, Philon averaged more points and assists than Darryn Peterson, Keaton Wagler, or Mikel Brown. He averaged more points and about the same number of assists as Kingston Flemings. His length is comparable to all of them. While he’s relatively thin at 176 pounds, that’s still 10 pounds heavier than Dillingham and not problematic as I see it.

What stands out most to me about Philon’s stats are his 50% FG shooting and 6.2 free throw attempts per game. I wrote a post many years ago showing a strong correlation between 50% college FG shooting and NBA success as a guard. That stat is often overlooked as we delve into more granular modern metrics, but I love that stat as a measure of a guard’s ability to finish at the rim and hit mid-range shots. Paired with his 40% 3-point shooting, I have a lot of confidence in Philon as an NBA shooter. When you watch his video highlights, you see really good footwork and an exceptional ability to change speed and direction. He looks amazingly smooth - reminding me a bit of Rod Strickland in that way. His 6.2 trips to the line is another stand-out stat that bodes well for NBA success. It reflects both a high basketball IQ and excellent ball and body control on dribble penetration. Again, the highlight videos support this thesis. I see a player with excellent court-awareness and intelligence in the way he plays with the ball in his hands.

The comparison to Bones is a bit misplaced even though the two have a similar build and had similar college sophomore stats. Philon averaged more points than Bones, but more importantly Philon averaged 5.0 assists compared to Bones averaging around 2.5. In other words, Philon is a legitimate PG/facilitator while Bones we really a shooting guard in a PG’s body. I still like Christian Anderson slightly more than Philon based on Anderson’s superior athleticism and the fact that he had comparable numbers as a Freshman. I’d be happy using Randle and #28 to trade up for either one.

Just to clarify I only was really only comparing Bones physical makeup to Philon especially in context of various smaller maybe lighter PGs.

As a side note I do think Bones has a little more playmaking chops than he gets credit for but I'm certainly not gonna make a case for him to be a pure PG!

What I think is interesting is for a while the Wolves seemed to not have a great deal of interest in smaller point guards. They still had guys including obviously Mike Conley but it seemed clear they were looking at the bigger combo guard type guy of the future next to Edwards that could play defense and handle the ball enough. Even at Iowa it was bigger guards.

Then kinda out of nowhere Connelly pulls of a trade to get a top 10 pick and selected Dillingham. I was actually a little pleased by this because I was wondering if they would eventually miss out on a talented guy just because they were too small. Damnit that didn't work but honestly I think one the biggest issues with Dillingham was he just wasn't a good shooter and that was the biggest reason I thought he would succeed based on what he did in college.

Connelly brought in Hyland last off-season as a guy at the end of the roster and he isn't exactly a big guy especially since he is more of a combo guard. Of course his size as a bench/rotation player is less of a problem than a potential starter. This draft it seems like the PGs remotely attainable (even in a move up) are not big either but it seems the Wolves are definitely interested. Is there a shift in philosophy or value or is it simply liking specific players? It could also be influence by what is available at any given point in time. Maybe there was a Smaller guard they would have loved to have but it simply wasn't an option for them.

[Lipoli390]

Just watched a small sample of some game film breakdown so not highlights and what immediately struck me about Philin vs the other guys I watched was the kid shoots right hand but fineshes and attacks the rim left handed mostly? Or at least is super comfy doing it. Watch highlights of Anderson or okorie and find me one lefty finish…I’ll wait. Main point is Philon could translate sooner if he legit can finish at the rim and has the handle to shake guys like a young Edwards beyond the arc…I’m sold!

I also watched Philon highlights and noticed the same thing. He’s clearly ambidextrous, which I consider a highly underrated attribute for a guard coming into the NBA. I think the ability to use both hands equally at a high level is a major determinant of NBA success for a guard. Until reading the recent reports about the Wolves interest, I hadn’t paid much attention to Philon, although he’s been on my list of PGs I like in this draft. His numbers are incredibly impressive. As a sophomore he averaged 22 points, 5 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 31 minutes per game. Comparing him to the other top PGs in this draft who are rated higher on all the draft boards I’ve seen, Philon averaged more points and assists than Darryn Peterson, Keaton Wagler, or Mikel Brown. He averaged more points and about the same number of assists as Kingston Flemings. His length is comparable to all of them. While he’s relatively thin at 176 pounds, that’s still 10 pounds heavier than Dillingham and not problematic as I see it.

What stands out most to me about Philon’s stats are his 50% FG shooting and 6.2 free throw attempts per game. I wrote a post many years ago showing a strong correlation between 50% college FG shooting and NBA success as a guard. That stat is often overlooked as we delve into more granular modern metrics, but I love that stat as a measure of a guard’s ability to finish at the rim and hit mid-range shots. Paired with his 40% 3-point shooting, I have a lot of confidence in Philon as an NBA shooter. When you watch his video highlights, you see really good footwork and an exceptional ability to change speed and direction. He looks amazingly smooth - reminding me a bit of Rod Strickland in that way. His 6.2 trips to the line is another stand-out stat that bodes well for NBA success. It reflects both a high basketball IQ and excellent ball and body control on dribble penetration. Again, the highlight videos support this thesis. I see a player with excellent court-awareness and intelligence in the way he plays with the ball in his hands.

The comparison to Bones is a bit misplaced even though the two have a similar build and had similar college sophomore stats. Philon averaged more points than Bones, but more importantly Philon averaged 5.0 assists compared to Bones averaging around 2.5. In other words, Philon is a legitimate PG/facilitator while Bones we really a shooting guard in a PG’s body. I still like Christian Anderson slightly more than Philon based on Anderson’s superior athleticism and the fact that he had comparable numbers as a Freshman. I’d be happy using Randle and #28 to trade up for either one.

Just to clarify I only was really only comparing Bones physical makeup to Philon especially in context of various smaller maybe lighter PGs.

As a side note I do think Bones has a little more playmaking chops than he gets credit for but I'm certainly not gonna make a case for him to be a pure PG!

What I think is interesting is for a while the Wolves seemed to not have a great deal of interest in smaller point guards. They still had guys including obviously Mike Conley but it seemed clear they were looking at the bigger combo guard type guy of the future next to Edwards that could play defense and handle the ball enough. Even at Iowa it was bigger guards.

Then kinda out of nowhere Connelly pulls of a trade to get a top 10 pick and selected Dillingham. I was actually a little pleased by this because I was wondering if they would eventually miss out on a talented guy just because they were too small. Damnit that didn't work but honestly I think one the biggest issues with Dillingham was he just wasn't a good shooter and that was the biggest reason I thought he would succeed based on what he did in college.

Connelly brought in Hyland last off-season as a guy at the end of the roster and he isn't exactly a big guy especially since he is more of a combo guard. Of course his size as a bench/rotation player is less of a problem than a potential starter. This draft it seems like the PGs remotely attainable (even in a move up) are not big either but it seems the Wolves are definitely interested. Is there a shift in philosophy or value or is it simply liking specific players? It could also be influence by what is available at any given point in time. Maybe there was a Smaller guard they would have loved to have but it simply wasn't an option for them.

I knew you were talking about the physical comparison. I was just pointing out that the physical similarity probably doesn’t matter when you factor in their respective skill sets and talent levels.

Regarding small PGs, I just think TC looks to acquire players based on their talent, skills and personal characteristics regardless of size. As you suggested, it’s TC looking for specific players. Not only did he sign Bones with the Wolves but as we know he drafted Bones when he was Denver’s PBO.

I agree with you that the main problem with Dilly was his shooting, not his size. I’ll add that I also think he was held back by his less than stellar basketball IQ. I don’t think he has a low IQ, but it didn’t seem particularly high, which is a problem for the PG position. I recall in a prior Dilly thread giving a long list of small PGs that have been very successful in the NBA, including Iverson, our own Mike Conley and of course Brunson among many others. Importantly, I wouldn't’ consider Bones or Philon a small PG given their respective wingspans. I know they’re both fairly thin but they’re over 10 pounds heavier than Dilly. Looking at Philon I think he has plenty of room on his frame to add significant muscle weight.

[rapsuperstar31]

Quinn Fishburne @QuinnFishburne
Labaron Philon is 6 '3 and not an elite vertical athlete...

So how is he able to finish at an impressive 65.7% at the rim on 5 attempts a game?...

It breaks down into 4 main skill sets...

Pacing + Ball Handling:
Philon has excellent fluidity, which he pairs with elite start/stop movements, culminating in a herky-jerky pacing that is very difficult for defenders to stay in front of and allows Philon to dictate defenders’ timing.

While he lacks the elite verticality and athleticism that some of his peers possess, his ability to abruptly shift speeds and directions is an elite athletic trait in its own right, and he has enough explosiveness to take advantage of gaps in defensive spacing.

His ability to quickly accelerate, while changing directions, has been critical in allowing Philon to create separation as he gets downhill, but it’s his de-acceleration around the rim that helps create such efficient scoring opportunities, where he is able to mitigate the size and length of defenders by forcing them to mis-time their contest, essentially neutralizing the length Philon faces at the rim.

His handle can only be categorized as “deceptive” and might be the best in the class. When combined with his poise, it allows him to trap defenders on his backside and snake through all areas of the floor.

Stride Lengths + Take-Off Footwork:
Because he is not an above-the-rim finisher, Philon’s skillset is reliant on disrupting defenders’ timing, a large part of which is related to his stride lengths and takeoff footwork on his layups. Despite his lack of positional size, Philon is capable of picking up his dribble from nearly any distance, three-point line, paint, etc, when he pairs that with his array of early take-offs and off-foot/off-hand finishes, Philon is able to remain a dynamic downhill threat, even without a live dribble.

Playing Off of Two Feet:
Once Philon breaches the paint, he is committed to playing off of two feet, which opens up a bevy of scoring opportunities, as defenders are at the mercy of his pumpfakes. From a standstill, Philon has great flexibility and step-through game, allowing him to slide around defenders and create advantages after he’s already generated a paint touch.

Initiating Physicality:
Finally, while he weighed in at 176.2 lbs at the NBA combine earlier this month, Philon plays above his weight, especially around the rim. He is dedicated to initiating physicality and doing so early in his drives downhill. Once around the rim, he is exceedingly comfortable banging with bigger guards and forwards to create space, and doesn’t shy away from contact.

[Monster]

Quinn Fishburne @QuinnFishburne
Labaron Philon is 6 '3 and not an elite vertical athlete...

So how is he able to finish at an impressive 65.7% at the rim on 5 attempts a game?...

It breaks down into 4 main skill sets...

Pacing + Ball Handling:
Philon has excellent fluidity, which he pairs with elite start/stop movements, culminating in a herky-jerky pacing that is very difficult for defenders to stay in front of and allows Philon to dictate defenders’ timing.

While he lacks the elite verticality and athleticism that some of his peers possess, his ability to abruptly shift speeds and directions is an elite athletic trait in its own right, and he has enough explosiveness to take advantage of gaps in defensive spacing.

His ability to quickly accelerate, while changing directions, has been critical in allowing Philon to create separation as he gets downhill, but it’s his de-acceleration around the rim that helps create such efficient scoring opportunities, where he is able to mitigate the size and length of defenders by forcing them to mis-time their contest, essentially neutralizing the length Philon faces at the rim.

His handle can only be categorized as “deceptive” and might be the best in the class. When combined with his poise, it allows him to trap defenders on his backside and snake through all areas of the floor.

Stride Lengths + Take-Off Footwork:
Because he is not an above-the-rim finisher, Philon’s skillset is reliant on disrupting defenders’ timing, a large part of which is related to his stride lengths and takeoff footwork on his layups. Despite his lack of positional size, Philon is capable of picking up his dribble from nearly any distance, three-point line, paint, etc, when he pairs that with his array of early take-offs and off-foot/off-hand finishes, Philon is able to remain a dynamic downhill threat, even without a live dribble.

Playing Off of Two Feet:
Once Philon breaches the paint, he is committed to playing off of two feet, which opens up a bevy of scoring opportunities, as defenders are at the mercy of his pumpfakes. From a standstill, Philon has great flexibility and step-through game, allowing him to slide around defenders and create advantages after he’s already generated a paint touch.

Initiating Physicality:
Finally, while he weighed in at 176.2 lbs at the NBA combine earlier this month, Philon plays above his weight, especially around the rim. He is dedicated to initiating physicality and doing so early in his drives downhill. Once around the rim, he is exceedingly comfortable banging with bigger guards and forwards to create space, and doesn’t shy away from contact.

This mirrors a lot of what Vecenie from the Athletic wrote about him. I spent some time reading a couple of Vecenie's breakdowns last night and they were lengthy and highly detailed very impressive. They were the same length and detail whether it was a mid first round pick or a guy projected to be at the end of the 2nd.

[Lipoli390]

Quinn Fishburne @QuinnFishburne
Labaron Philon is 6 '3 and not an elite vertical athlete...

So how is he able to finish at an impressive 65.7% at the rim on 5 attempts a game?...

It breaks down into 4 main skill sets...

Pacing + Ball Handling:
Philon has excellent fluidity, which he pairs with elite start/stop movements, culminating in a herky-jerky pacing that is very difficult for defenders to stay in front of and allows Philon to dictate defenders’ timing.

While he lacks the elite verticality and athleticism that some of his peers possess, his ability to abruptly shift speeds and directions is an elite athletic trait in its own right, and he has enough explosiveness to take advantage of gaps in defensive spacing.

His ability to quickly accelerate, while changing directions, has been critical in allowing Philon to create separation as he gets downhill, but it’s his de-acceleration around the rim that helps create such efficient scoring opportunities, where he is able to mitigate the size and length of defenders by forcing them to mis-time their contest, essentially neutralizing the length Philon faces at the rim.

His handle can only be categorized as “deceptive” and might be the best in the class. When combined with his poise, it allows him to trap defenders on his backside and snake through all areas of the floor.

Stride Lengths + Take-Off Footwork:
Because he is not an above-the-rim finisher, Philon’s skillset is reliant on disrupting defenders’ timing, a large part of which is related to his stride lengths and takeoff footwork on his layups. Despite his lack of positional size, Philon is capable of picking up his dribble from nearly any distance, three-point line, paint, etc, when he pairs that with his array of early take-offs and off-foot/off-hand finishes, Philon is able to remain a dynamic downhill threat, even without a live dribble.

Playing Off of Two Feet:
Once Philon breaches the paint, he is committed to playing off of two feet, which opens up a bevy of scoring opportunities, as defenders are at the mercy of his pumpfakes. From a standstill, Philon has great flexibility and step-through game, allowing him to slide around defenders and create advantages after he’s already generated a paint touch.

Initiating Physicality:
Finally, while he weighed in at 176.2 lbs at the NBA combine earlier this month, Philon plays above his weight, especially around the rim. He is dedicated to initiating physicality and doing so early in his drives downhill. Once around the rim, he is exceedingly comfortable banging with bigger guards and forwards to create space, and doesn’t shy away from contact.

This mirrors a lot of what Vecenie from the Athletic wrote about him. I spent some time reading a couple of Vecenie's breakdowns last night and they were lengthy and highly detailed very impressive. They were the same length and detail whether it was a mid first round pick or a guy projected to be at the end of the 2nd.

Vecenie is great. I havn’t seen his breakdowns for this draft yet but I’ll have to check them out today.

[Lipoli390]

I’ve been thinking a bit more about the Philon news in conjunction with how we’ve seen TC operate. What we’ve seen is that TC doesn’t leave much to chance. He doesn’t just explore scenarios, he tends to ink tentative deals as contingencies while he explores other preferred deals. Knowing that the Wolves went so far as to bring Philon in for a workout suggests to me that TC already has a contingency trade in place to move up in the draft where the Wolves would have a good chance to get him. Meanwhile, I think it’s clear that TC has been exploring other deals he’d prefer, starting with possible deals to acquire Giannis, White, Kyrie or possibly Ja. I can’t believe TC would have genuine interest in Fox given what he provides relative to his ridiculous contract. If unable to get one of those players, TC probably has a tentative deal or two in place to acquire a solid, non-star rotation vet like one of the other Memphis PGs. I suspect the tentative deal to move up for Philon is his third alternative if one of the other two doesn’t pan out.

That’s my not entirely reckless speculation. .