A Royal Pain
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A Royal Prospect: Skal Labissière

By Rafe Wong

Mar 19, 2016; Des Moines, IA, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Skal Labissiere (1) grabs a rebound against Indiana Hoosiers guard Robert Johnson (4) in the first half during the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 19, 2016; Des Moines, IA, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Skal Labissiere (1) grabs a rebound against Indiana Hoosiers guard Robert Johnson (4) in the first half during the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports /
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A Royal Pain continues its series on analyzing players in this upcoming draft and seeing how they would fit if they were selected by the Sacramento Kings.

Today’s prospect will be Skal Labissière out of the University of Kentucky.

The Numbers

For Labissière, he stands at 6’11” and weighs 225 pounds. During his only season playing for the Kentucky Wildcats, he averaged 6.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. He also was able to make 51.6% of his total shots attempted from the court.

The Range

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According to various mock drafts, most have Labissière going to the Orlando Magic at the #11 spot, which means that if the Kings did want Labissière to be on their roster next season they most likely will have the opportunity to do so if they stay put at #8.

The Fit

If Labissière were to be on the Kings next season he will fill a need in being a stretch-four for the team. Although he didn’t display it enough in college, Labissière strongest attribute offensively was his shooting ability.

Mar 5, 2016; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Skal Labissiere (1) celebrates after dunk the ball against LSU Tigers forward Ben Simmons (25) in the second half at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 5, 2016; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Skal Labissiere (1) celebrates after dunk the ball against LSU Tigers forward Ben Simmons (25) in the second half at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports /

He has the potential to make mid-range jumpers at a consistent rate and also to be effective from beyond the perimeter as well. The Kings do have DeMarcus Cousins who added the three-point shot to his arsenal last season, but in terms of finding a labeled “stretch-four”, Labissière could be that solution for the Kings going forward.

Labissière also has a high ceiling on defense. With a height of 6’11” and a wingspan of 7’2”, Labissière has the potential to be a solid rebounder and shot blocker at the NBA level. However, he will need to gain weight/muscle as he weighs only 225 pounds, which could cause trouble for him against bigger bodies early in his career.

Express Yourself

So Kings fans, should the Kings be serious in drafting Skal Labissière in this upcoming NBA Draft? We want to hear from you.

To express your opinions on the issue, feel free to participate in our current survey that is up on our Twitter account.

Rafe’s Thoughts

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Drafting Skal Labissière at the #8 spot could be a risky choice for the Sacramento Kings.

A stretch-four is certainly a need for Sacramento, and Labissière’s defensive potential is intriguing, but he didn’t display enough production at the collegiate level to make me believe he can be a consistent shooter and rim-protector at the professional level.

It may take a while for the 6’11” forward to develop and live up to his true potential, but now I consider him a project. He is a good risk to take for teams with higher lottery picks, but in the case of the Kings, there will be better talent at the #8 slot to choose from.

Rafe’s Comparison: Channing Frye

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