The 2026 NBA Draft is over, and several of the players selected have direct ties to the state of Alabama.
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Lebaron Philon Jr. was selected with the 22nd overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers. Philon had two stellar seasons with the Crimson Tide; as a sophomore, he was a first team All-SEC choice after he averaged 22 points and 5 assists per game and led Alabama to the Sweet 16. Philon becomes the 5th player taken in the first round of the NBA Draft since Nate Oats was hired as Alabama's head coach in 2019; in the 20 seasons before Oats arrived, Alabama only had two first-round picks.
In 2023, Philon was named Alabama Mr. Basketball while playing for Baker High School. Philon is the first Alabama Mr. Basketball selected in the first round of the NBA Draft since Gerald Wallace in 2001.
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Yaxel Lendeborg was selected with the 11th overall pick by the Golden State Warriors. Lendeborg was an All-American who led Michigan to the NCAA tournament championship in 2026; before that, he had two outstanding seasons at UAB. As a Blazer, he led the American Athletic Conference in rebounds in both of his seasons, won two conference Defensive Player of the Year awards, and set a school record with 45 double-doubles.
Originally from Puerto Rico, Lendeborg becomes the first player ever to play for UAB and become a first-round pick in the NBA Draft.
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Narcisse Ngoy was selected with the 57th overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks, who immediately traded the pick to the Los Angeles Clippers. Originally from France, Ngoy signed with Auburn earlier this year; the Clippers will retain his draft rights but Ngoy announced on Instagram Thursday that he plans to play for Auburn this season before jumping to the NBA.
A 7-foot center, Ngoy was named the MVP of the French Elite 2 league in 2026.
