Skal Labissiere Reportedly Still Not Cleared by NCAA to Play for Kentucky

The University of Kentucky's newest jewel, freshman Skal Labissiere, is on track to be on the court for the Wildcats' season opener against Nov. 13 against Albany amid questions regarding his eligibility. 

"Everything is good to go," Calipari said on Wednesday, via Kyle Tucker of The Courier-Journal. "Every year we've been here, players go through the review. You won't believe this: it's always the best players that get the review."

However, Calipari later referred to the school's policy not to comment on eligibility until the first game of the season, via Tucker.

Calipari's comments come after a report from Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com on Oct. 7 that said Labissiere had yet to be cleared to play.

Labissiere has been held back due to an investigation on how his guardian, Gerald Hamilton, acted during Labissiere's time at Lausanne Collegiate High School in Memphis, Tennessee. 

On Tuesday, Parrish reported NCAA Assistant Director of Amateurism Jack Britton called former Memphis AAU coach Keith Easterwood to ask him about Hamilton.

Britton specifically asked, "Has Mr. Hamilton ever texted you asking for your help in finding someone that could advance Mr. Hamilton a sum of money related to Skal Labissiere?" and "Did Mr. Hamilton ever inquire to you about how he could procure a 'shoe' deal for Skal Labissiere?"

Parrish reported back in November 2014 that Hamilton asked Easterwood how he could profit off a basketball player, one of numerous "red flags" that prompted the inquiry. 

Labissiere, a Haitian refugee, was the second-best prospect in the nation to come out of the 2015 class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He committed to Kentucky in the same month of Parrish's initial reports.

The 6'11" big man has received high praise from Calipari, who told Tucker:

"

He could be the No. 1 pick, so I'm going to drive him. He had six rebounds and five blocks the other night, and I'm like, 'You could get 12 rebounds and 10 blocks.' He's looking at me like, 'I've never practiced this hard in my life.' And I find out from our weight/strength coach that he and Jamal (Murray) are exerting the most energy.

"

With a Kentucky team that lost six players—including big man Karl-Anthony Towns—to the draft last season after the pursuit of an undefeated season fell short, Labissiere could be a centerpiece for the Wildcats moving forward. 

Labissiere is the kind of player who can potentially be a menace down low. With great jumping ability paired with a long reach, he could be tough to score on down low. Add that with the prospect of his running the floor better than a lot of big men, and Kentucky could have a star in the making.