Breaking down possible Lakers pick and 2016 NBA Draft prospect Skal Labissiere
There’s no question that the 2016 NBA Draft is in the forefront of the minds of many Los Angeles Lakers fans and—at least hopefully—in the minds of the front office. At the midway point of the 2015-16 season, the Lakers have the second-best odds to get the number one pick in the NBA Draft Lottery, but are more so praying that the pick simply lands in the top three so that they keep the pick and aren’t forced to send it to the Philadelphia 76ers if it falls at No. 4 or below.
In Chad Ford’s Mock Draft 2.0 on ESPN (Insider), Ford has the Lakers picking at No. 2 and selecting Kentucky Wildcats freshman big man Skal Labissiere. Labissiere was one of the top prospects in the country in the 2015 high school recruiting class alongside LSU Tigers freshman Ben Simmons, but the two stand in stark contrast of one another in terms of their performance in their first seasons at the college level.
Simmons has thrived with the Tigers, but success has been much harder to come by for Labissiere in Lexington. Even still, the freshman is still widely regarded as one of the top draft prospects in the country and, considering that the Lakers could use a big man to put alongside Julius Randle in the rebuilding process, Labissiere could be in LA’s crosshairs.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at Labissiere as an NBA Draft prospect, breaking down his game, his makeup, and how he would fit with the Lakers as they try to return to their former glory in the wake of Kobe Bryant’s impending retirement.
Next: Physical Tools
Physical Tools
The physical tools when it comes to Labissiere are both his biggest weakness, but also one of his biggest potential strengths at the same time. That sounds crazy to say, but the Haitian product is incredibly intriguing in terms of what he brings to the game in regards to his physical makeup.
Starting with the positives, his size coupled with his skill-level makes him a potentially versatile big man at the next level. He has the legit height of an NBA center as a seven-footer while also maintaining a skill-set that could potentially make him a threat at the pro level as a stretch-four.
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However, there’s a reason that you have to throw the word potential into the mix because there are definite problems as of right now in regards to Labissiere’s frame. At 7-0, he weighs in at only 216 pounds and lacks the bulk to even compete with opposing center on the interior at the college level, much less against the behemoths awaiting him in the NBA. Moreover, his slight frame makes him appear longer than he actually is as his wingspan of 7-2 is merely average for a prospect with his height.
Though it’s not technically a physical trait, it’s important to note as well that Labissiere is the oldest member of the current class of college freshman. The Kentucky big man will be 20 years old at the time of the draft, which would have to give the Lakers and any other potential suitors pause as to when exactly he’s going to start to fill out his frame in terms of bulk and start to realize his potential in other areas of his game.
Next: Offense
Offense
To again start on a positive note, Labissiere has a very versatile offensive game for a young prospect at his size. He’s shown often at Kentucky his ability to knock down jumpers from mid-range and has tremendous touch around the basket whenever he gets open looks in that area. Though he’s yet to attempt a three with the Wildcats, he showed in high school the ability to extend his range to that length with his jumper.
However, Labissiere’s offense is problematic as of right largely because of his inability and reluctance to get position on the interior. Obviously this is a consequence of his slight frame, but it’s been a recurring theme for him all season. He is easily forced off his mark in the post by opposing big men and then doesn’t have the physical tools to simply outmatch opponents when he’s pressured down low.
Watch how he’s forced off his spot well out of the post on this play against UCLA and then is overwhelmed by the double-team:
The potential for Labissiere to be a versatile offensive threat is clearly there as he has the moves and the jumper to really effect the game in a big way on that end of the floor. However, until he adds the strength necessary to compete down low and shows a better ability to move the ball with his passing when in trouble and even otherwise, his offense is going to be limited in college and at the next level.
Next: Defense
Defense
Dipping again into talking about Labissiere’s physical shortcomings, they make another appearance when it comes to his defense. Conversely to how he can’t get down onto the block consistently on offense, opponents have relatively routinely been able to back the Haitian big man down onto the block and gain position for good looks. Moreover, they’re able to keep him off the glass by simply overpowering him and pushing him out of position.
Another negative on the defensive end for Labissiere as of right now is the fact that the big man has a propensity for gambling and not making the smart or aware play on that end of the floor. That includes not playing proper help defense or being in position which has led to opposing scores, as well as trying to block shots and either mis-timing his jump or simply not having good enough position to make the play.
However, his shot blocking ability is one of his best attributes on the defensive end. Whenever he’s in the right position to make a defensive play, he normally has the instincts and simply the size to make the necessary defensive play:
See how he slides over on that play in help defense when it becomes clear that the guard is going to take the shot? That’s certainly a positive for player with his size that he has the instincts in place to make that play. However, his lack of strength and coming-and-going awareness on the defensive end make him far from a complete package in that regard.
Next: Mental Make-Up
Mental Make-Up
There’s no question that the biggest concern regarding Labissiere as he makes the jump to the NBA is his lack of strength and his slight frame. However, something that’s been being discussed as of late is how he’s handled his lessening role in the Kentucky rotation. He’s not lashed out by any means or said anything out of turn. However, as John Calipari has tried to put his team in the best position to win by starting a frontcourt of Alex Poythress and Marcus Lee, Labissiere coming off of the bench has largely been ineffective.
Since being taken out of the starting lineup and, in turn, coming off of the bench for the Wildcats, Labissiere’s struggles have seemingly only increased. The big man’s high point total over the five-game stretch has been just nine points. Even worse, his combined numbers over those five games total just 19 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks.
While that’s obviously partially due to the logistics of him not seeing the floor as much as he was early in the season, it does at least raise an eyebrow that his confidence might be severely shaken right now. With how ineffective he’s been against top-level competition this season that he simply can’t use his size to outmatch, it’s mildly understandable how that would be the case. Even still, that could be a potential concern moving forward and is something for the Lakers and other teams to keep an eye on going into the draft.
Next: Fit With Lakers
Lakers Fit
The obvious fit for the Lakers is there with Skal Labissiere. There’s virtually no shot that the Lakers re-sign Roy Hibbert this offseason once his contract expires—or at least one would have to hope. Subsequently, adding yet another high end prospect to grow alongside the likes of D’Angelo Russell and immediately next to Julius Randle and Larry Nance Jr. in the frontcourt would be a sensible move.
And while there a number of big-time problems with Labissiere as an NBA prospect, largely centering around his strength and lack of bulk to go along with his tall frame, make no mistake that he has loads of potential. Guys of his size with his level of skill at only 19 years old are not commonplace. The big question, though, is just how long it’s going to be before some of the intangibles and his physical tools come around so that he can start scratching the surface of his potential.
Because of that and, considering that the Lakers are expected to make pretty sizable strides next season with a year of experience under the belts of the young core and with a hopefully hefty haul in free agency, Labissiere seems like somewhat of a stay-away for the Lakers. I would much rather see them try and pursue a sensible deal with free agents such as Al Horford, Hassan Whiteside, or even veteran Joakim Noah.
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If the Lakers were to take Labissiere as Chad Ford predicts, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. They would be getting a big man prospect with tremendous upside. However, there are still a ton of questions and it would be a while before his impact would truly be felt. Subsequently, it’d probably be best to look elsewhere if you’re the Lakers in the 2016 NBA Draft.