Memphis Could Make Noise With This ‘Dangerous' NBA Draft Pick

The Memphis Grizzlies have the No. 3 selection in the NBA draft, and while all eyes are on whether they’ll do with Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson or Darryn Peterson, it’s time to give their No. 16 pick some much-deserved attention.

In a mock out on Wednesday, May 20, Isaac Trotter of CBS Sports lays out his picks after the Combine. “Beyond the measurements and testing, the conversations behind the scenes provide an illuminating look at where some of the top NBA Draft prospects are trending,” he states in the piece.

For the Grizzlier, he has them going with Alabama point guard Labaron Philon.

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“Philon slithers to his spots at will, and there’s not much you can do to stop it,” he states in the piece. “The Alabama guard showed vast improvement with his pull-up jumper and proved he can get buckets in his sleep.”

He adds: “He was one of the most dangerous isolation bucket-getters in all of college basketball last season, making even the most mobile defensive bigs so uncomfortable with his barrage of in-and-out dribbles to set up a stepback J or a knockdown floater.”

My Take: Labaron Philon Could Be a Sleeper Star for the Grizzlies

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Philon has shown flashes of greatness at Alabama that he could bring to the Grizzlies. The issue will be getting him back to the simple role-player skills he showed as a freshman. Philon can absolutely still be better on defense and as a player who finishes plays created by a lead guard.

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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 2:45 PM.