Skal Labissiere to Kentucky: What 5-Star Center Brings to Wildcats

John Calipari has done it again.

The Kentucky Wildcats landed 5-star power forward Skal Labissiere as part of their 2015 recruiting class on Thursday evening. Labissiere is a native of Haiti and chose the Wildcats over the likes of Memphis, North Carolina, Georgetown, Baylor and Tennessee.

Here is an early look at the newest member of the machine that is Kentucky basketball. 

*All recruiting information, such as rank and measurables, courtesy of 247Sports.

Postion: Power Forward

Height: 6’10”

Weight: 200 

Rank/Rating: 5-star 247Sports composite, No. 7 nationally and No. 1 in state of Tennessee

What Makes Him Special

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

The first thing that jumps out about Labissiere’s game is his length and athleticism.

Those two traits make him an absolute beast on the defensive side because he regularly swats shots, covers a massive amount of ground in the paint and on the baseline and is the rim protector that every perimeter defender who loves to take chances for steals dreams of because he will cover for any mistake.

As if that’s not exciting enough for Kentucky fans who love defense, look for the occasional LeBron James-style chase-down block in Lexington. Labissiere has the motor and quickness to catch up to guards in transition and will block a few shots from behind.

Perhaps most importantly for a big guy, he will swallow up any rebound within his vicinity like a vacuum cleaner because of that quickness and wingspan.

Offensively, his shooting range extends all the way to the three-point line, but he is particularly deadly from mid-range and the high elbow. His spot-up jumper will be nearly impossible to stop because of how tall he is and his smooth release. Labissiere is capable of scoring in the paint, but he can do most of his damage outside the paint in pick-and-pops and with the soft touch on his jumper.

Where He Needs Work

Credit: 247Sports

We are talking about one of the best players in the country here, so there is not exactly a laundry list of weaknesses in Labissiere’s game. If there was, Calipari probably would have looked elsewhere on the recruiting trail. 

It’s not 100 percent fair to criticize someone in high school for a lack of college-ready strength and physicality, but if there is one thing Labissiere truly needs to work on to become a superstar at the next level, it is this. If and when he becomes stronger and physically tougher, it will help him establish position down low on the offensive end and out-muscle opponents on the defensive side.

It will also make his post-up game much more effective when he has his back to the basket.

Being part of a strength and training program at an elite basketball institution will do absolute wonders for Labissiere. His best path to the NBA is to add strength to that athletic frame, and Kentucky is a perfect place to do just that. 

If there is one other area to nitpick, it is his propensity to get out and dribble too much in transition. He is much more effective filling the lanes in the open floor and throwing down dunks than leading the break, but he does occasionally get the ball stolen by quicker guards.

2015-16 Prediction

Labissiere would be an immediate starter at nearly any school in the country because of his incredible raw talent and natural ability.

However, as is the case every season in Lexington, how much he sees the floor will be a direct product of how many of the current youngsters stick around. Between Karl Towns, Trey Lyles, Willie Cauley-Stein, Dakari Johnson and Marcus Lee, there isn’t a ton of room available in the frontcourt. 

Assuming at least a couple of those players leave for the NBA and Labissiere adds some strength by the 2015-16 season, he will be a regular in Calipari’s rotation. Between Labissiere’s shooting touch and defensive potential, he is simply too talented to leave off the floor.

*It is important to note that Labissiere's eligibility is still up in the air, as Gary Parrish of CBS Sports detailed here. I am working under the assumption in this article that he will play for Kentucky.

Long-Term Outlook

Calipari understands the inherent risk of recruiting players like Labissiere—there is a real chance he will be a one-and-done superstar at the college level.

Frankly, Kentucky would be fine with that because that would mean Labissiere was effective enough to turn some heads in the process. The Anthony Davis comparisons are easy to make because of his height, shot-blocking abilities and the Kentucky factor, but they are unfair and premature because Labissiere is not quite that explosive yet.

Rather than an instant star like Davis, Labissiere will be a contributor who gradually blossoms into one of Kentucky’s best players over the course of his freshman season. By tournament time, he will be ready to help lead the Wildcats to a national title.

And then leave for the next level.