Labaron Philon Brings Holiday Cheer - and Hope - Back Home to Mobile
Alabama point guard Labaron Philon didn’t just head home to Mobile for Christmas - he brought the holiday spirit with him. On Tuesday, the Crimson Tide standout hosted a toy giveaway at Murphy High School that reached more than 200 kids, turning a short break from basketball into a meaningful moment for his hometown.
The event wasn’t just about toys. It featured free haircuts, refreshments, photos with Philon himself, and even an appearance from Santa Claus. For Philon, it was a chance to step away from the grind of the college basketball season and give back to the community that helped raise him.
“It’s a great opportunity to give back to the kids,” Philon said. “Even though we are in season right now, we have a little time off, and it’s good to be back home. My family and I put this together and thought it would be special to give back a little bit.”
Philon’s journey to this moment has been well-documented in Alabama hoops circles. After earning the title of Alabama’s Mr.
Basketball as a junior at Baker High School in 2023, he finished his prep career at Link Academy in Missouri. But when it came time to choose a college, he returned to his home state, signing with the University of Alabama.
After testing the NBA Draft waters this past offseason, Philon opted to return for another year in Tuscaloosa - a decision that’s paid off for both him and the Tide. He’s been a catalyst for Alabama’s 9-3 start and current No. 14 national ranking, averaging an impressive 21.9 points per game. But on Tuesday, basketball took a backseat.
“The season has been good so far,” Philon said. “We’ve just been working hard, playing hard, practicing every day and just getting better with my teammates. Today was a special opportunity for me to just get out of the basketball headspace a bit and give back to the community.”
The event was hosted at Murphy High School, where head basketball coach Andre Epps played a key role in making it happen. Epps, who coached Philon as an assistant at Baker, said the location was chosen with purpose - to reach families in the Mobile area who could use a little extra support this holiday season.
“I think this is very big for the community,” Epps said. “It’s allowing a Mobile kid, a native kid, to come back and give back to his community. You have a lot of families who need help, so he’s able to bless them, but also they’re able to see that they can succeed and get to college like Labaron has done.”
Epps emphasized that Philon’s presence does more than provide gifts - it provides inspiration.
“He’s kind of giving them hope, as well as he’s making their Christmas a whole lot better,” Epps said. “I just really want to thank Mr.
Sanderson, our principal, for allowing all of this to be possible. Even though Labaron’s not a Murphy kid, he was welcomed here to make this happen.
I think it’s a tremendous event, and I’m honored to be part of it.”
The line for the giveaway wrapped around the gym well before the 10 a.m. start, with families having signed up in advance via email. Epps estimated that between 200 and 300 children were impacted by the event.
The giveaway was powered by a group of local businesses and organizations, including Da Temp Spot, Baby Fades, Fadem Out The Chair, the Salvation Army, Pulse Project, Dwell Mobile, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Gulf Coast - all stepping up to help Philon and his family make a difference.
With a few days left before he returns to Tuscaloosa on Dec. 26, Philon is looking forward to a little downtime.
“A lot of eating, opening some presents, giving out presents to my family,” he said with a smile.
But the break will be short. Alabama returns to action on Dec. 29 at home against Yale before diving into SEC play with a marquee matchup against Kentucky on Jan. 3 at Coleman Coliseum.
“It’s going to be a tough league again,” Philon said. “But I feel like we are going to be one of the best teams when it is all said and done.”
For now, though, the focus is on family, community, and giving back. And thanks to Labaron Philon, hundreds of kids in Mobile will have a little more joy this Christmas - and maybe a little more belief in what’s possible.