Skal Labissiere Decision: Odds for Contenders to Land Top 2015 Recruit

Skal Labissiere, No. 7 on 247Sports.com's rankings for 2015 recruits, plans on announcing where he'll take his 6'10", 200-pound frame.

And to think that as recently as July, here was a kid who gave a passing glance to skipping college altogether for a chance to play professionally overseas—against men—to fine-tune his game. He could possibly earn $1.2 million. No amount of unlimited swipes on the campus meal plan amount to what $1.2 million could do for a young man from an earthquake-ravaged Haiti.

"Overseas is an option," Labissiere told CBSSports.com. "I don't know yet for sure. We'll see. But that is a lot of money."

What he does know now is that he'll be choosing to stay in North America and play ball amongst his peers on the college level. What college? Well, we don't know yet. We do know there are six finalists, so read on to see who are the favorites and the long shots in the bidding for Labissiere's talents.

Georgetown: 50-1

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Georgetown may have boxed out Labissiere from its lineup when it signed 6'10", 250-pound center (and No. 46-ranked on 247Sports.com) Jessie Govan. Govan is much further down 247Sports.com's list, which would suggest he's not quite the raw prodigy that Labissiere is.

What this could suggest is that head coach John Thompson III is content with a bigger big man and could, in theory, surround Govan with a smorgasbord of guards and forwards. That would squeeze out Labissiere.

According to SB Nation's Ricky O'Donnell, "Labissiere profiles as one of the most rare and valuable players on a basketball court: a shot blocker who can shoot. At 6'11, 215 pounds, Labissiere is a high-level athlete who can finish above the rim at one end of the court and contest shots at the other."

So what does that make Govan? A big man that can block but can't shoot? It's hard to picture a scenario where Labissiere becomes a Hoya. 

Maybe Labissiere could turn into a Dirk Nowitzki-type power forward. Then again, probably not and twin-tower approaches in college hoops aren't exactly en vogue.

Baylor: 50-1

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Labissiere announced in August that he had limited his schools down to a select few. One of those was Baylor. 

Scott Drew, Baylor's head coach, already locked up a top-100 recruit from 247Sports.com in King McClure. McClure is a 6'3" guard that could pair nicely with Labissiere's inside game. 

John Martin of ESPN 92.9 wrote:

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After Ole Miss was eliminated, I hadn't really considered any school other than Memphis and Kentucky a contender for Labissiere. But the Bears did get Labissiere's last official visit, and he certainly enjoyed it. I heard from one coach recruiting Labissiere last Monday that Baylor made some head-way with Labissiere and, specifically, his guardian.

"

Martin also mentioned a religious connection between Drew and Labissiere's guardian. Sometimes these things matter especially if there's a tiebreaker. 

No matter how religious Labissiere is, it will take nothing short of a divine miracle to sway him from schools further up this list.

North Carolina: 35-1

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The News and Observer in Raleigh was hella-excited when Labissiere put the Tar Heels on the list of six possible schools. At least the paper touted that Labissiere could be Chapel Hill-bound.

Andrew Carter of the N and O wrote:

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UNC has yet to secure a commitment from anyone in the class of 2015. The Tar Heels are in the mix for several top prospects, including Ivan Rabb, a power forward from California who some consider the best prospect in the class, and Stephen Zimmerman, a highly-regarded center from Las Vegas.

"

Zimmerman is a behemoth, but he's likely not making a decision until the spring. 

Roy Williams hasn't made a splash yet with this 2015 class, and Labissiere remains a long shot for a trip to Chapel Hill.

Tennessee: 30-1

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Tennessee, like Memphis, has the added benefit of being close to home for Labissiere. But looking at the Volunteer roster sheds doubt that Labissiere would choose this Tennessee school over the next one on this list.

By the time Labissiere makes it to Knoxville, Dominic Woodson, the 6'10" 290-pound center would be a senior. 

Tariq Owens, also 6'10" but built more like Labissiere, would be just a junior. Now these players could be on the move or they could be role players. It is tough to forecast how Labissiere would fit onto a roster that appears to have a truly big body in the low block and another nimble big man as well.

Still, because Tennessee is relatively close to home, it gives the Vols a better chance at landing him than Georgetown and Baylor. Not by much though.

Memphis: 6-1

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In what appears to be the two-horse race for Labissiere, Memphis comes in at No. 2. Do not discount Memphis in this fight. 

According to 247Sports.com, Labissiere goes to school at Lausanne Collegiate School in Memphis. For a young man who was displaced from his native Haiti due to the earthquake from a few years ago, Memphis must feel like a second home. Indeed it does.

Labissiere also told John Martin of ESPN 92.9, "This is my second home. I'm pretty proud of it. I know it wasn't a coincidence that I ended up here. It wasn't an accident. Everything happens for a reason. It's one of the best basketball cities, if not the best. It helps a lot basketball wise.”

He's been forced to move once already. Enrolling at Memphis would mean he could stay put for at least one more year.

Labissiere hangs around the campus and has been seen at many of the Tigers' games. Like CBS Sports.com's Gary Parrish wrote, "So in lots of ways, for lots of reasons, Memphis makes lots of sense."

And who knows? Maybe if he's lucky the Memphis Grizzlies will draft him in 2016. 

Kentucky: Even Money

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Kentucky is the clear favorite to land Labissiere. In fact, head coach John Calipari could fill Rupp Arena's seats with enough 4- and 5-star recruits to field four elite to semi-elite D-I teams, but that's neither here nor there.

Kentucky makes a lot of sense because so many of its players clear out for the pros that Labissiere will seamlessly transition into Calipari's scheme. Up to this point Calipari has been very quiet, content to let some of the other schools snatch up some talent. 

Gary Parrish of CBS Sports.com wrote, "Nobody has a better record than Calipari in recent years of enrolling elite prospects and transitioning them into the NBA, and Labissiere understands as much. So in lots of ways, for lots of reasons, Kentucky makes lots of sense."

Should Coach Cal land Labissiere, that could be the first domino in a long line of 5-star recruits to surround Labissiere. Calipari has managed to develop athletic big men such as Julius Randle and Nerlens Noel. Labissiere, though a bit lanky and rangy, fits the Calipari mold making UK the favorite.