Memphis Grizzlies Draft Prospects: Skal Labissiere
After being a top-5 prospect out of high school, Skal Labissiere had a disastrous season at Kentucky. Are the Memphis Grizzlies the best fit for him?
Skal Labissiere was a top-five prospect coming into the 2015-16 college basketball season. Many people had him being the only challenger to Ben Simmons to become the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. However, Labissiere’s season was an absolute disaster.
He got bullied around in the post because of his thin build. His post game wasn’t nearly as refined as Kentucky big man predecessors Anthony Davis, Julius Randle and Karl-Anthony Towns. Skal Labissiere’s draft stock has fluctuated.
Some have him in the top 10 and some have him slipping past the lottery.
With Labissiere, Deyonta Davis, and Marquese Chriss all having similar skill sets, any of the three could slip out of the lottery. CBS Sports has the Memphis Grizzlies selecting Skal Labissiere.
"This one totally depends on where the Grizzlies are in their building process. Do they get signals Mike Conley stays? Does he go, and they have to move on? If Conley decides to go elsewhere, this team might be in the middle of a full-scale rebuild and likely won’t have their first round pick next season. That means shooting for the stars here might be worth a shot, as Labissiere is a genuine top-10 talent who had a rough freshman season at Kentucky. If he can become the floor-spacing, rim-protecting weapon that was expected this season, the Grizzlies might get a steal here."
While it is looking like Labissiere will be a lottery pick, there are two ways he could land in Memphis:
1. The Grizzlies trade up in the lottery to pick him (Zach Randolph, Vince Carter and the 17th pick to Toronto for the ninth pick and Terrence Ross; or Brandan Wright and the 17th pick to Utah for Trey Burke and the 12th pick).
2. He magically slips to the Grizzlies at the No. 17 pick without having to give up any major pieces.
Going to the Grizzlies may be the perfect fit for Skal Labissiere. He came to the U.S., settling in Memphis after the devastating earthquake in his native Haiti.
His potential was always tantalizing; however, there were concerns over a back injury and eligibility issues that held him out of high school basketball for two years. These setbacks did not derail him from being a top-five prospect and drawing comparisons to LaMarcus Aldridge.
During his time at Kentucky, his confidence dwindled each passing game. Labissiere was harshly ridiculed by scouts and challenged by his teammates and coaches.
While his confidence rose and his game improved towards the end of the season, scouts are worried about his motor and his strength to anchor a defense and play the 5 position.
However, Labissiere’s mid-range game and three-point shooting touch in today’s NBA could be a better fit for him.
While his tenure at Kentucky was abysmal, Labissiere still showed flashes of his sky-high potential. His mid-range game is excellent, which is perfect for pick-and-pops. In pick-and-rolls with Tyler Ulis, he delayed the roll to put himself in better position to get to the basket.
His shot-blocking is as good as advertised when he doesn’t foul.
Despite these strengths, he needs to improve his rebounding after averaging eight rebounds per 40 minutes. He also needs to work on fouling less, as he averaged a horrifying seven fouls per 40 minutes.
Going to the Memphis Grizzlies may be best for Labissiere’s development. For one, playing in front of his (second) hometown team with all his friends and family watching may be what he needs confidence-wise.
He will learn how to anchor a defense without fouling and passing out of the high post from one of the best two-way big men, Marc Gasol. Provided Zach Randolph is not traded, he can learn how to operate in the post from one of the best bruisers and rebounders in the league.
He’ll also learn how to succeed in the NBA with a thin build from backup big man Brandan Wright, a bouncy center who excels at finishing at the rim.
If he is not getting a lot of NBA court time in Memphis, Labissiere could go to Iowa to play for the Iowa Energy, the Grizzlies’ D-League affiliate which is one of the best development teams. There, he will gain experience through real-time game action.
Best-Case Scenario: Labissiere enters the league similarly to Myles Turner and Andre Drummond, two top prospects that had subpar college careers but have shown flashes of excellence in the NBA.
He turns out to be one of the biggest steals of the decade by slipping past the lottery (or the top 10) and reaching his mesmerizing potential.
If this happens, the Grizzlies find a future All-Star who is an anchor to their defense and a focal point of their offense, similar to Marc Gasol.
Worst-Case Scenario: The physicality is too much for him as he bounces around the NBA and the D-League for a few years and becomes a NBA journeyman.
Likely Scenario: Skal Labissiere is with a great coach and a playoff team. Furthermore, he will gain experience through the D-League this next season or two. Once he’s ready, he makes a starter impact in the league for a long time.
With a LaMarcus Aldridge ceiling and a Channing Frye floor, he is not in a bad place. With the NBA becoming more pace-and-space oriented, Labissiere’s college career will seem like a fluke as he excels in the NBA.
To anyone in the Grizzlies draft room, if there’s a chance of picking Skal Labissiere, don’t slip up. With the right coaching staff and perfect mentors, he has a chance to make an impact in Memphis for years to come.