Opinion: Skal Labissiere Shows Why He’s The Prototypical NBA Big
The Sacramento Kings have remained steadfast in their slow approach to easing along rookie Skal Labissiere. But with little reason to hold him back this late in the season, they inserted the Kentucky frontcourt player into the starting lineup to see what he’s capable of.
Sunday’s loss to the Houston Rockets was Labissiere’s best start of his young career, and it showed why he has the highest ceiling on the Kings’ roster. Skal finished with 25 points (10-12 FG), 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals while scoring in a variety of ways. He attacked the offensive glass and converted both offensive rebounds into tip-ins. These types of looks will be there throughout his career, especially if he is guarded by undersized big men. He knew the Rockets were undersized and got to his spots at will knocking down 83% of his shots.
(video via Sacramento Kings)
His skill set is ideal for the pace-and-space era. Skal has made 47% of his jump shots since the All-Star break and is well over 50% on his attempts from outside ten feet (per NBA.com). Skal made another four jumpers on Sunday, including a beautiful catch-and-shoot turnaround over James Harden where he maneuvered to the open space on the baseline. His high release point allows him to get the shot off over most players, with Houston finding little success in solving the length of Labissiere.
While his smooth shooting stroke is garnering most of the attention, Skal’s jump-hook is becoming a nice secondary option in the post. The turnaround jumper is the current go-to for the rookie, another shot that utilizes his size and converting 50% on fadeaways, but the soft touch on his hook shot will produce easy buckets throughout his career. Here is a look at Skal’s shot chart from Sunday, highlighting his inside-out offensive game.
It wasn’t just the shots falling that impressed me either. Labissiere didn’t shy away from contact against Houston’s defenders in the post. His six free-throw attempts in the game proved this notion.
Skal also made a smart pass out of a double-team to Buddy Hield for a three-pointer in the first quarter and found a cutting Ben McLemore from the elbow in the fourth which displayed his distributing ability.
Labissiere looked more than comfortable against an opponent that emulates the shift taking place in the NBA with hybrids in the frontcourt. He knocked down outside shots, made smart passes, and maintained his team-high 17.8 PER (via basketball.realgm.com) since the All-Star break. Skal should add muscle to his frame over the next couple seasons while working to extend his shot to the three-point line.
Success from deep will unlock another level to his offense in terms of floor spacing, therefore, giving him the highest ceiling on the current roster. But like a majority of games since the deadline trade, Labissiere showed a multitude of ways to score over the smaller opposition. He will see smaller defenders on him when he is paired with another big man, and the efficiency in which he’s scoring on them is a bright spot to take into the final two games before the offseason.