9. Labaron Philon (Alabama)
As we’ve seen in recent years, Alabama has one of the very best offenses in the entire country yet again. Nate Oats and the Crimson Tide marched to last year’s Final Four and may have the talent to repeat that feat. The highest scoring offense in the nation has a few new faces and Philon’s contributions are the most notable of the new group.
A 4-star recruit from the state of Alabama, Philon averages 11.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game, with the ability to really fill the stat sheet. He’s far from the top option in this stacked Alabama offense, but his contributions cannot be ignored. He had 16 points and 9 assists in a great win over Illinois back in November and dropped a season-high 22 points a month later against South Dakota State.
Alabama is unquestionably heading to the NCAA Tournament as it currently stands, but a few question marks remain around Philon’s game. He’s made just 27% of his 3-pointers and has hit a bit of a cold spurt since SEC play began. Philon has made only 27% of his field goal attempts over Alabama’s last five games, though he did have key contributions with 15 points in last weekend’s win at Kentucky. If he finds his shooting stroke again, he can put up a great performance and help another deep Tourney run for the Crimson Tide.