Four-star point guard LaVarron Fillon announced his commitment to Alabama via social media on Sunday. A native of Mobile, Alabama, Fearon attended Baker High School where he played three seasons and won the Mr. Basketball award in 2023, the Class 7A Player of the Year where he won twice and scored his 2,334 career points. was recorded.
He spent his senior year at elite prep school Link Academy (Missouri), where he led the program to a top 10 national ranking and a semifinal appearance at the Chipotle Nationals. In the EYBL Schola Circuit, AAU's premier national tournament, Philon appeared in 12 games as a member of Team Thad, formed by NBA player Thaddeus Young, averaging 11.7 points and 4.3 assists.
Fillon, the No. 33 player in the nation and No. 3 point guard according to 247Sports, was previously committed to Kansas, but multiple transfer portals have added him to the Jayhawks' roster, including former Alabama player Rylan. As a result, he was removed from the letter of intent five days ago. griffen. Fillon, who was committed to Auburn before Kansas, quickly became a priority for coach Nate Oats and his staff and completed his visit on Saturday.
Currently, Philon has Ayden Holloway (Auburn), Houston Mallett (Pepperdine), Chris Youngblood (South Florida), returner Latrell Lightsell Jr., and will decide whether to stay by May 29th. He will join a revamped Tuscaloosa backcourt with the addition of Mark Sears, who has the potential to do so. Enter the NBA draft or go back to school.
Highlights of Labaron Fillon vs. Prolific from earlier this month.pic.twitter.com/UtQUv8DImT
— Alabama Roundball (@BamaRoundball) April 27, 2024
With Philon's contributions, Alabama increased its roster of scholarship players to 12. The Athletic We can confirm that priority target Rutgers center Clifford Omoruyi began his official visit to Alabama on Sunday morning. According to 247Sports, Alabama's recruiting class currently ranks second in the nation, the highest in the Oats era.
What does this mean for Alabama?
Fillon is a 6-foot-4, 170-pound dynamic guard who specializes in attacking downhill and finishing in the paint. Fillon was a weak 3-point shooter during his first three high school seasons, averaging 35 points per game as a senior at Baker, but he shot 44 percent from the field last summer on the EYBL circuit. It suggested that the ceiling in that area had become higher. Under Oats, Philon will continue to develop as a shooter while also being able to play in transition and attack in the paint, a staple of Alabama's scheme.
Philon's size will also be an asset on defense, something Alabama has struggled with. He needs to add to his size, but his long arms and broad shoulders make him a different body type than Holloway and Sears, who are about 6 feet tall. Philon averaged over two steals per game in high school, and his athleticism should make him an effective defender against Power 5 guards.
Sears' decision is still looming. Meanwhile, Oats strengthens his position with a top-35 prospect in Fillon after adding Holloway, a five-star recruit from last season's cycle. Fearon joins Derion Reed, Aiden Sherrell and Nurse Cunningham as top 50 prospects in the 2024 class. Reed and Sherrell were high school teammates at Prolific Prep (Calif.), and Reed and Fearon were EYBL teammates on Team Thad. This elite group of high school talent is another sign that Oats' system is one of the most attractive in the country, with the University of Alabama now also clinching a spot in the Final Four. There is.
Elsewhere on the roster, there is forward Grant Nelson's decision, but he has not made a formal announcement as to whether he will enter the draft or remain at Alabama. The deadline was late Saturday night. The official list of draft participants will be announced on Monday.
Free daily sports updates delivered straight to your inbox.sign up
Free daily sports updates delivered straight to your inbox.sign up
buy
Must read
(Photo: Gary Cosby Jr./USA Today)