Labaron Philon Jr. reacts to debut after leading summer Sixers to win

LAS VEGAS -- The Philadelphia 76ers were able to see the present and the future in Thursday's 101-93 summer league win over the Detroit Pistons. No. 22 overall pick Labaron Philon Jr. finished with 18 points on 6-for-19 shooting along with seven assists and led the Sixers to the win.

Philon showed a mixture of everything on Thursday. He was able to get off to a hot start with his elite ball-handling, creating opportunities for him to score the ball. He knocked down his first three triples and was able to find a rhythm rather early opposite Pistons rookie Ebuka Okorie.

The rookie then slowed down with his shot, but got others involved, which allowed him to be impactful. He then stepped up and drilled a stare down triple late to seal the win for Philadelphia.

"I would say just mixing it in," Philon said after the win. "Being able to do both is an important thing, especially for a guard, especially for me coming into this team, being able to take pressure off the other guards and being able to find other guys. I feel like that's one of the most important things. And like once you get it going, guys starting to step up and then create opportunities for your teammates. So, being able to be unselfish and share the ball, I feel like that's a great skill for a guard."

Labaron Philon Jr. on his SL debut: “I would say just mixing it in. Being able to do both is an important thing, especially for a guard, especially for me coming into this team, being able to take pressure off the other guards and being able to find other guys.” #Sixerspic.twitter.com/xKBu0GyIhr

— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) July 10, 2026

The Sixers put the ball in the hands of the rookie to finish the game and he did so with complete confidence. The way Philon was able to close the game out late was a huge pickup for Philadelphia and one has to be impressed with how he was able to stay poised after focusing so much on the playmaking aspect of the game.

"I mean, I kind of knew," Philon said. "They put the ball in my hands in the game. They told me to just control the game, take over the game, make the right play. So, I was trying to be a smart guard. I had a couple great passes, but I felt like time was going down, and the ball got back in my hands. So, it was meant for me to just be in the moment."

Philon and the Sixers will continue the summer league on Saturday when they take on the Indiana Pacers in Vegas.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Labaron Philon Jr. reacts to debut after leading summer Sixers to win