u/Secret3o5

Philon is a prospect that I‘ve mostly ignored. Based on scouting reports, he just didn't seem like my kind of player. Shoot-first, kind of ball-hoggy, small combo guard? Not for me.

So it was to my surprise that while scouting Aday Mara in Michigan’s Sweet 16 game against Alabama, I realized I couldn’t take my eyes off of Philon. I decided to watch him closely for several games: vs. Michigan, vs. Darius Acuff and Arkansas, and the Kentucky game where he went 0-6 from 3. I always like to see how players look when their shot isn’t falling.

The video above summarizes what I found. There are three major themes:

1. Philon is one of the best ball-handlers I’ve ever seen, full stop. This isn’t just a “strength;” his handle is absolutely world-class. He gets anywhere he wants on the court, at any time. 
2. He is a fantastic and willing passer, very sophisticated in PnR. It’s hard to clip something that didn’t happen, but I did not see over-shooting; I saw a player constantly creating advantages and patiently converting them into open looks for teammates.
3. He plays strong. Philon is only 176 pounds but he creates contact and uses leverage to move bigger players. Opposing teams did not target him on defense.

The big picture for me: I want NBA prospects to have one skill they can rely on from Day 1 in the NBA. Philon has two: his handle and his passing. You can give him the ball and expect him to beat his man, every time, and then do something useful with that advantage. He does need to put on weight, but he is functionally strong; you don’t see him getting pushed around like Keaton Wagler. 

Ultimately I think Philon belongs - at minimum - in the same tier as Wagler, Flemings, and Brown Jr. I'd love to hear what you all think. If you want even more Philon scouting I have a total of 47 notes on him (lol) and 100s on other players on Grinding Tape. Add your own! I know you’ve got hot takes!