COLUMBIA, S.C. — He developed into a 5-star prospect after many hours in the Blythewood gymnasium.
Julian Phillips finished his high school career at Link Prep in Branson, Missouri, before spending one year at Tennessee.
After earning SEC All-Freshman honors for the Volunteers, Julian declared for the NBA Draft not long after reports surfaced that he planned on entering the NCAA Transfer Portal.
But Phillips would stay in the draft pool, and it clearly was the right call. The Celtics chose Julian with the 35th pick of the 2023 NBA Draft and then traded him to Chicago.
Phillips was on the franchise's G-League team this past season while playing 40 games for the Bulls.
Julian is gearing up for the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, which tips off next week. After his time in that annual summer showcase, Julian will return to Blythewood to host his first youth camp, held July 25-26 at Muller Road Middle School. The camp is open for kids ages 6-14 and will be held at the same school that Julian attended before he became a blue-chip prospect.