TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama men’s basketball guard Labaron Philon Jr. is one of 20 candidates selected to the 2025-26 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Player of the Year Award Watch List, the organization announced on Thursday.

The 2026 NABC Division I Player of the Year – to be selected by a nationwide vote of Division I head coaches at the conclusion of the regular season – will be announced the week of the 2026 Men’s Final Four. Former Duke star and current Dallas Maverick Cooper Flagg received the award last season.

In addition to his NABC recognition, Philon Jr. and teammate Aden Holloway were named to the Coaches Preseason All-SEC Team. Philon Jr. was named First Team All-SEC while Holloway was given Third Team All-SEC honors. 

• Philon Jr. was one of five SEC players to be named to the NABC Player of the Year Watch List
• Named to the Bob Cousy Award Watch List, which annually recognizes the point guard in college basketball
• Enters his sophomore season as a Preseason First Team All-SEC selection
• Philon Jr. is the sixth UA player to named First Team All-SEC Preseason under Oats, joining John Petty Jr. (2021), Jaden Shackelford (2022), Jahvon Quinerly (2022), Grant Nelson (2024) and Mark Sears (2025)
• Averaged 10.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game during his freshman campaign
• Ranked No. 8 in the SEC in assists and No. 4 in assist/turnover ratio (2.2) last season
• Was a 2025 SEC All-Freshman Team honoree, becoming the eighth UA freshman to receive the honor under Coach Oats

• In addition to a Coaches Preseason All-SEC selection, Holloway is a Third Team All-SEC Preseason selection voted by local and national media
• Played in all 37 games coming off the bench, averaging 11.4 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists
• Scored 10 or more points in 24 games coming off the bench, which led the SEC
• Led UA in three-pointers made in 11 contests
• Scored 422 points throughout last season, which ranks No. 101 on UA’s all-time single-season scoring list