Alabama men’s basketball was busy this past offseason, adding four players from the transfer portal and four from the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class, according to 247Sports.
Two new additions who have been making noise in the preseason are guards Labaron Philon and Aden Holloway, each of whom had unconventional journeys to Alabama.
Philon was a former Mr. Basketball (given to the best player in the state) for the state of Alabama while playing at Baker High School. He averaged 35 points during his final season at Baker before opting to play with Team Thad in the Nike EYBL Circuit with now-teammate Derrion Reid. In 2023-24, he transferred and finished his high school career at Link Academy in Missouri.
His recruiting process was eventful. He committed to Auburn in February 2023 before decommitting two months later.
Philon then committed to Kansas in August 2023 and was expected to enroll before requesting out of his national letter of intent in April 2024, leading head coach Nate Oats and Alabama to swoop in last-second and add Philon to the recruiting class four days later.
“The coaching staff did a great job with talking to me and letting me know what the plan is,” Philon said. “We all came into an agreement that playing for Alabama would be a huge part of my career.”
Philon was impressive during the scrimmage after the Final Four banner unveiling last Friday, scoring 18 points, which tied guard Mark Sears and center Clifford Omoruyi for the most in the game.
“Labaron has been really great on both sides of the ball,” Oats said during SEC media day. “He’s making our players better every day in practice.”
Holloway was a McDonald’s All-American and a 5-star recruit coming out of high school and committed to Auburn in August 2022.
During his freshman year for the Tigers, Holloway played in all 35 games and started 26 of them, recording 7.3 points and 2.7 assists per game, which earned him a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team.
After the season ended, Holloway opted to enter the transfer portal and committed to former rival Alabama in April 2024.
Holloway turned heads at the Final Four ceremony last Friday, going toe-for-toe with Sears in the 3-point performance and showing promise in the scrimmage.
“He’s a lights-out shooter,” Sears said. “He can shoot, defend and facilitate, and he’s going to be big for us this season.”
Holloway and Philon join a talented backcourt that includes returning starters Sears and Latrell Wrightsell Jr.
Wrightsell credited Holloway and Philon for coming in during the fall and bringing intensity to the team.
“Those two have brought a lot of energy,” Wrightsell said. “They push me and Mark every day in practice.”
Alabama’s backcourt isn’t shy of talent, and players like Philon and Holloway are no exception. Both have been making noise in the preseason and seem to be making the team better because of it, as both Sears and Oats noted.
“Iron sharpens iron,” Sears said.
