Labaron Philon Jr. shines in Sixers’ first summer league game: ‘He’s a gamer’

LAS VEGAS — When Labaron Philon Jr. got the ball at the top of the key with less than a minute to play, 76ers summer league coach T.J. DiLeo told everybody else to get out of the way.

So Philon went to work on his defender with multiple between-the-legs moves as the shot clock ticked inside five seconds. He pulled up and buried the game-clinching shot.

It was a dynamite capper to a terrific summer league debut for the Sixers’ first-round draft pick. Philon compiled 18 points and seven assists in a 101-93 victory over the Detroit Pistons Thursday afternoon at Cox Pavillon, making good on his quest to be a “smart guard” by mixing in sound playmaking with a hot shooting start and clutch finish.

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“Showing I can compete,” Philon said. “Having the same ‘dawg’ mentality that I had at Alabama, and being the same person. Being me, really.”

Philon, whom the Sixers took 22nd overall last month, opened the game with a three-pointer, then dished to big man Johni Broome for his own deep shot on the next possession. When another Philon long ball forced a Pistons timeout less than two minutes later, he flexed and hollered before returning to the bench.

After that, Philon again flashed his crafty ballhandling while getting to the rim for a left-handed layup. He delivered a slick bounce pass to Broome for a dunk between two defenders. And before hitting that dagger three-pointer, Philon drove to the basket late in the shot clock for the and-1 conversion to break an 85-85 tie with less than four minutes remaining.

“That’s who he is,” DiLeo said. “He’s a gamer.”

DiLeo, who is coaching the summer Sixers for the second consecutive year, emphasized that combination of scoring and distributing — along with playing hard defensively — with Philon ahead of Thursday’s opener in Las Vegas. The coach put the ball in Philon’s hands during practices, and came away impressed with the rookie’s pace, natural instincts, and willingness to pass.

“It’s a big responsibility,” DiLeo said. “ … You’ve got to find a good balance of it, because the team will take your identity. He was getting guys shots. Now everybody’s moving the ball a little bit and they kind of follow him.

“I was proud of him for tonight. Obviously, he’s going to grow and get better, but it was a good first step.”

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That “smart guard” mentality also comes with some foresight. Philon knows he is joining a Sixers roster that already boasts All-NBA third-teamer Tyrese Maxey and electric youngster VJ Edgecombe, and recently added sharpshooter Anfernee Simons in free agency. Philon recognizes the value in taking pressure off those teammates.

“Once you’re able to get [that playmaking] going,” Philon said, “guys [start] to step up.”

Minutes after Thursday’s performance, DiLeo had already identified improvement areas he would show Philon on film. The Pistons began switching more defensively in the second half, and the coach noticed a couple times when Philon got past his defender but pulled back his dribble instead of remaining aggressive.

Philon, meanwhile, lamented the “easy looks” he missed during his cold streak in the second and third quarters of a 6-of-19 shooting outing. But he appreciated the trust in him did not waver down the stretch.

Because when the summer Sixers gathered for the first time, DiLeo showed clips of each player’s strengths. He called Philon a “big shot taker, big shot maker,” as a similar one-on-one sequence flashed across the screen.

“You’ve got to let him go one-on-one a little bit,” DiLeo said. He’s going to make some of these."

So DiLeo put the ball in Philon’s hands at the top of the key in the final minute, and insisted that no other players get involved in the play. An additional motivational boost came from Philon spotting Mike Gansey — the Sixers’ new president of basketball operations who was thrilled Philon was still available for them to select on draft night — along with executive Jameer Nelson and future teammates Adem Bona and Dominick Barlow sitting courtside.

“I think they knew what I was going to do,” Philon said. “So I was solid. After I hit the shot, I looked at Mike. He was like, ‘OK’ [with a head nod].”