Philon was born on November 24, 2005, and grew up in Mobile, Alabama.[1] He attended Baker High School in Alabama where he played three seasons and scored a total of 2,334 points, being a two-time recipient of the Class 7A Player of the Year award.[2] As a junior for Baker, he averaged 35.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game, being named the Alabama Mr. Basketball.[3][4] He transferred to Link Academy in Missouri for his senior season.[5] He helped Link achieve a top-10 ranking nationally with an appearance in the national semifinals.[2] Philon also played in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL), appearing in 12 games and averaging 11.7 points and 4.3 assists.[6]
Philon was ranked the 30th-best recruit nationally by ESPN and the fifth-best point guard recruit by On3.com.[7] He initially committed to play college basketball for the Auburn Tigers, but later de-committed.[8] He later signed a letter of intent to play for the Kansas Jayhawks, but decided not to play with them either.[9] He committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide in April 2024.[10]
College career
Philon impressed with Alabama as a freshman in the 2024–25 season.[11][12]