Labaron Philon and Barry Dunning Jr. are two Alabama high school stars with their sights set on the NBA. While Philon is expected to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft on June 23, Dunning is also hoping to make his mark in the league. Both players have had impressive careers, with Dunning averaging 25.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 3.3 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game at McGill-Toolen in 2021-22. However, their journeys to the NBA have been different, with Dunning playing at multiple colleges before finding his footing at Pittsburgh. Dunning's 3-point shooting improved to 34.5 percent at Pittsburgh, helping him shape a definition of himself for NBA evaluators. He takes pride in taking care of the things that don't always show up in the box score, such as intangibles and effort. Dunning's workout with the Indiana Pacers, where he met Larry Bird and saw Tyrese Haliburton, further fueled his aspirations. The Pacers are working out players even though Indiana and the Portland Trail Blazers are the only teams without a selection at this time in this year's draft. Dunning's journey is a testament to his perseverance and hard work, and he is hoping to make his fifth team in five seasons one of the 30 in the league. The NBA Draft is a significant event for the league, with the 30 picks of the first round being made on the first night, and the 30 picks of the second round being made on the second night. The next big event for the NBA will be the draft on June 23-24 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
