I think what impressed me the most was Philon's layup package. He's super crafty around the rim, isn't afraid to finish through contact and hangs in the air really well. He has a bag of tricks with reverse layups, finger rolls and floaters he can go to with either hand. He has solid bounce and will rise up for dunks from time to time. What really sticks out is how direct Philon plays. If he sees a lane he can attack, he attacks it without hesitation because he's confident in his finishing ability. Those tendencies should be really helpful in three-on-one or two-on-one fastbreak situations that Alabama is often in with the style it plays. Philon is confident on the break, either taking it to the basket himself or hitting a teammate.
Serving as the point guard for Link Academy, Philon is an excellent ball handler. He doesn't pull out any crazy moves but plays confidently and keeps the ball low and tight when he dribbles. I didn't see too many demonstrations of his playmaking in this, but in halfcourt sets, he moved the ball around well and didn't try to do too much too often.
Philon's shot selection in this video reminded me a bit of Aaron Estrada last season. First off, Philon LOVES the stepback and he's good at it. He creates nice separation and clearly relishes going at a defender one-on-one, knowing he can either blow by him and get to the rim or go into his stepback. He's a confident midrange shooter. That might not be music to some given Oats' style, and some of Philon's tendencies to lean on stepback 2s and shots from the elbow will be coached out of him in Alabama's system. Philon also won't have the same shot volume that he got at Link and will have to pick his spots to take shots off the dribble. That said, his stepback doesn't just apply to shots inside the arc. He hits a few nice stepback 3s and 3s off the dribble in the video and the stepback can definitely be a weapon for him next season.
Philon should be able to operate as both a lead guard and an off-ball 2 with Alabama. He moves off the ball decently well and seems to gravitate toward the corners in catch-and-shoot situations (something Alabama will love when it comes to spacing). Philons jumper is smooth and the ball gets out of his hands quickly after the catch. He should be a more than capable shooter at the next level if he continues to develop his off-ball movement.
Most of these highlights were mainly halfcourt offense but he displayed some nice instincts in the couple of defensive plays that were shown. On one play saw him help down on Montverde's Cooper Flagg as he drove to the rim, before racing out in transition and finishing past Flagg on the other end.
Obviously, with it being a highlight package, the video doesn't really show Philon's current weaknesses heading into college, but I tried to highlight a few areas that look like they'll need polishing. I'm intrigued to get a better idea of how he is as a defender at the next level, but I'm really excited by his offensive skillset. If he can be a solid off-ball and on-ball guard in Year 1 that will be incredibly vital for the Crimson Tide. Alabama has a deep guard unit but I think Philon is going to be a big part of the Tide's plans next season.
Here's the video if y'all want to watch for yourselves!
Serving as the point guard for Link Academy, Philon is an excellent ball handler. He doesn't pull out any crazy moves but plays confidently and keeps the ball low and tight when he dribbles. I didn't see too many demonstrations of his playmaking in this, but in halfcourt sets, he moved the ball around well and didn't try to do too much too often.
Philon's shot selection in this video reminded me a bit of Aaron Estrada last season. First off, Philon LOVES the stepback and he's good at it. He creates nice separation and clearly relishes going at a defender one-on-one, knowing he can either blow by him and get to the rim or go into his stepback. He's a confident midrange shooter. That might not be music to some given Oats' style, and some of Philon's tendencies to lean on stepback 2s and shots from the elbow will be coached out of him in Alabama's system. Philon also won't have the same shot volume that he got at Link and will have to pick his spots to take shots off the dribble. That said, his stepback doesn't just apply to shots inside the arc. He hits a few nice stepback 3s and 3s off the dribble in the video and the stepback can definitely be a weapon for him next season.
Philon should be able to operate as both a lead guard and an off-ball 2 with Alabama. He moves off the ball decently well and seems to gravitate toward the corners in catch-and-shoot situations (something Alabama will love when it comes to spacing). Philons jumper is smooth and the ball gets out of his hands quickly after the catch. He should be a more than capable shooter at the next level if he continues to develop his off-ball movement.
Most of these highlights were mainly halfcourt offense but he displayed some nice instincts in the couple of defensive plays that were shown. On one play saw him help down on Montverde's Cooper Flagg as he drove to the rim, before racing out in transition and finishing past Flagg on the other end.
Obviously, with it being a highlight package, the video doesn't really show Philon's current weaknesses heading into college, but I tried to highlight a few areas that look like they'll need polishing. I'm intrigued to get a better idea of how he is as a defender at the next level, but I'm really excited by his offensive skillset. If he can be a solid off-ball and on-ball guard in Year 1 that will be incredibly vital for the Crimson Tide. Alabama has a deep guard unit but I think Philon is going to be a big part of the Tide's plans next season.
Here's the video if y'all want to watch for yourselves!
