Skal Labissiere Cleared to Play at Kentucky: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction

Following a prolonged waiting period, highly touted Kentucky Wildcats freshman Skal Labissiere has been cleared to suit up for the team this season, according to Yahoo Sports' Shams Charania. CBS Sports' Gary Parrish confirmed the news Friday.

ESPN.com's Jeff Goodman and Jeff Borzello previously reported the NCAA had been "looking into" Labissiere's relationship with his guardian, Gerald Hamilton. Labissiere—who moved to the United States after the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, according to Yahoo Sports' Marc Spears—had been living in Memphis with Hamilton as his legal guardian.

Despite the NCAA's inquiries, Kentucky head coach John Calipari never appeared to be publicly fazed by questions surrounding his star freshman's eligibility.

"No, I've said it before there are probably 50 to 60 kids who went through it and there are probably 15 more going through it now,'' Calipari said on Oct. 21, according to ESPN.com's Dana O'Neil. "Last year we had five going through this at this stage, meaning our team. And so we're comfortable where this is for him right now. He's good."

A rangy big, Labissiere graded out as the second-best player and top-ranked center in the 2015 recruiting class, per 247Sports.

Labissiere, 19, has yet to step onto the hardwood for a game with the Wildcats, but he's already one of the top NBA prospects in the nation. DraftExpress has pegged him as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft ahead of celebrated prospects like Duke's Brandon Ingram, LSU's Ben Simmons and California's Jaylen Brown.

Labissiere may initially make his presence felt as a shot-blocking force thanks to his 7'2'' wingspan, per DraftExpress, but a work-in-progress jump shot and developing post moves are the most intriguing pieces of his game.

Kentucky is already poised to compete for the national championship as it enters the regular season tied for No. 1 in the USA Today basketball coaches poll alongside North Carolina, but if Labissiere can hone his offensive repertoire throughout the Wildcats' 2015-16 campaign, they may be able to avenge last year's Final Four loss to Wisconsin and raise another banner to the Rupp Arena rafters.