Dallas Mavericks Draft Target Believes He Could Be What Team Needs

The Dallas Mavericks are in the process of building out their draft board. With a new front office in place, led by team president Masai Ujiri and general manager Mike Schmitz, they have plenty of belief that they'll be able to add an impact player to pair with Cooper Flagg despite dropping to the 9th pick in last weekend's lottery.

Dallas has a gaping need at both backcourt positions, and there happens to be a lot of talented guards projected to go in the 5-10 range. One such player is Labaron Philon, an electric guard from Alabama. He's mostly seen as a tier below guys like Keaton Wagler and Darius Acuff Jr., but he's absolutely talented enough to go in the top 10.

The NBA Combine has been taking place this week, with attendees meeting with the media. Philon was asked by Noah Weber of The Smoking Cuban about possibly joining the Mavs, and he thinks he could be exactly what the Mavs need.

"The Mavs [are] a great program," Philon said. "They got great players, a great player like Cooper [Flagg], I feel like I can bring a level of playmaking that those guys need. Dallas, as a whole, is a great city, so meeting with them is going to be special."

Labaron Philon Jr. called the Dallas Mavericks a “great program.”

Says he can bring “a level of playmaking” for them.

Called Dallas “as a whole, a great city.” pic.twitter.com/Dx54VMiKKW
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) May 13, 2026

It doesn't appear like Philon has met with the Mavs yet, but that does seem to be in the works. They've already met with a lot of the top prospects and will bring others in for pre-draft workouts.

Philon averaged 22.0 PPG and 5.0 APG while shooting nearly 50/40/80, making himself an All-SEC selection for Alabama. His frame would give people concern, as he measured in at 6'2 1/2" and just 176.2 pounds. He has drawn comparisons to Nickeil Alexander-Walker and a mini Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It would be entirely optimistic to see him blossom into an SGA-type player, but he's an exceptional three-level scorer and playmaker. That's something the Mavs need for the future.

How Labaron Philon Would Fit With Dallas Mavericks

Labaron Philon would be looking for the future. While sharing the backcourt with Kyrie Irving could raise some defensive concerns, as they're both smaller guards, the speed and playmaking would be tough for defenses to handle.

However, Philon could be the perfect understudy for Irving, as the older guard is coming off ACL surgery. Even if they expect him to bounce back to full form, he likely only has a few more years of playing at an elite level, so having someone like Philon grow, learn, and add size to eventually take over would be a great fit.

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