Apart from Charles Bediako and head coach Nate Oats being called out at the Neville Arena, the ESPN broadcast, spearheaded by announcers Dick Vitale, Dave O’Brien, and Cory Alexander, was the latest to be blasted by the basketball community.

They mispronounced Alabama Crimson Tide sophomore guard Labaron Philon Jr.’s name as “phalon” and “philan” multiple times, and a fan page with the username @Bama_Hammer was quick to highlight it on X.

“Honestly, there’s zero excuse for how bad the pronunciations have been by this broadcast crew,” the post read. “ESPN should be embarrassed. Philon is the leading scorer in the league, for God’s sake.”

This isn’t the first time ESPN broadcasters have been criticized for on-air errors. They have also been on the receiving end of fan criticism due to technical issues.

Irrespective of the broadcasting issues, however, Philon Jr. contributed 25 points, shooting 7 of 15 from open play, helping his team to a 96-92 win. This marked back-to-back wins for the Crimson Tide after a blowout loss to the Florida Gators last week.

However, the fans wouldn’t let ESPN’s errors go unnoticed, with several others chipping in with their critical comments.

Alabama fanbase tears ESPN broadcasters apart for mispronouncing Labaron Philon Jr.’s name, criticizing the overall vibe

“Vitally is horrible!” a fan wrote.

“They didn’t do an ounce of research. Pathetic,” commented another.

As one of the most experienced broadcasters in the NCAA basketball circuit, it was clear that Vitale would be the first to come under fire.

On3 recently posted a review of ESPN, criticizing everything from technical errors to inconsistent replay decisions to not providing big moments the hype they deserve.

“When SEC football teams take the field on Saturday at 3:30, you can feel the magnitude of the game,” On3 wrote. “You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg on tickets to witness the pageantry that amplifies the atmosphere… When the CBS crew is at a college basketball arena, you can feel the energy in the building. ESPN, take notes. Just because you don’t own the rights to the postseason tournament doesn’t mean you should neglect it, and that’s exactly what they do.”

“@espn Tell your announcers to learn how to pronounce the f—— names of the players of the game they are calling. Cannot even pronounce Philon right, and he is top 10 player in NCAA. Ridiculous,” commented a fan.

Philon Jr. is the scoring leader for the Crimson Tide, also ranking No. 10 overall so far this season, averaging 21.4 points per game. However, a fan connected the broadcasting blunders to his teammate.

“I think it was purposeful because they’re mad about Chuck,” opined an observer.

They were citing Bediako’s controversial participation in the game as the reason for the ESPN broadcasters’ errors. The comment has some truth to it, though. Vitale did speak out against Bediako’s participation a few days ago.

“The bottom line is, you have a rule book,” Vitale said. “And the rule book says, according to the rules of the NCAA, he is ineligible.”

The veteran also pointed to the conflict that drove the Bediako case forward.

“However, the court system said, ‘No, he can play,’ and you can’t blame a coach when [a judge] says you can play a 7-footer, you can’t blame a coach wanting to play him if they say he can play, so that’s the problem,” Vitale said.

However, his opinion on Bediako and his mispronunciation of Philon Jr. seem to have little in common.

“I love our players Labaron Fullon and Houston Mullet,” another fan wrote.

The comment summed up the Crimson Tide fanbase’s reaction, but with a sarcastic twist on the names Labaron Philon Jr. and Houston Mallette.

However, it is a reminder of how the quality of college basketball broadcasting has been declining lately, with many reporting audio and graphics issues earlier in the season.