John Calipari Comments on Skal Labissiere's Eligibility

Incoming freshman Skal Labissiere's eligibility at Kentucky has been one of college basketball's biggest storylines this offseason, but Wildcats head coach John Calipari made it clear Wednesday that he isn't losing sleep over the situation.

According to Kyle Tucker of the Courier-Journal, Coach Cal suggested that a top player facing an NCAA review isn't out of the ordinary.

"Everything is good to go," he said. "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."

He also expressed a great deal of confidence in his team regardless of what ultimately happens with Labissiere, per Tucker.

"I think my team will be fine and you guys will figure it out when we go out there the first game," Calipari said. "How did this become such a huge (deal)? This became like a firestorm. Where did this come from? Feel real good what my team's going to look like on the first day."

According to Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com, sources informed him that NCAA Assistant Director of Amateurism Jack Britton questioned Memphis AAU coach Keith Easterwood about Labissiere's guardian, Gerald Hamilton.

Per Parrish, Britton asked Easterwood if Hamilton had ever inquired about getting a shoe deal for Labissiere or making money in some way off Labissiere's basketball talent.

While the NCAA and the University of Kentucky have remained tight-lipped regarding Labissiere's eligibility, Olgun Uluc of Fox Sports Australia has gotten the impression that those within the NBA do not believe Labissiere will be cleared to play this season:

That would be a massive hit to a Kentucky team that is looking to press on after Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein, Trey Lyles, Devin Booker and others entered the 2015 NBA draft.

Labissiere was supposed to be a big part of keeping the program's momentum moving forward, and ESPN's Seth Greenberg believes he has a chance to be a very special player:

If Labissiere is deemed ineligible, though, even more pressure will be placed on the shoulders of fellow freshman Jamal Murray. Since Murray is a guard, however, returning bigs Alex Poythress and Marcus Lee would have to pick up much of the slack inside.

While Calipari insists that he isn't concerned, the longer Labissiere's eligibility is questioned, the more likely it becomes that he will be forced to sit out at least part of the schedule.

Provided he is never cleared, though, Kentucky will have an uphill climb when it comes to vying for a national championship.

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