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Skal Labissiere's journey to the NBA is now complete.
The Kentucky Wildcats freshman forward was taken 28th overall by the Kings, a pick acquired in a previous deal with the Suns. However, because the deal was not sent to the league office in time, the Suns made the pick as Skal was announced as Phoenix's pick. Unless this deal unexpectedly falls through, he'll be a King.
Coming into the draft, Skal was being projected to go as high as No. 9 to the Raptors, and as low to Celtics at No. 16, so this was quite a fall for him. Regardless, he's an NBA player now, and all that matters is what he does going forward to ensure he not only remains in the league, but continues to reach his immense potential.
The native of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, played in all 36 games with 18 starts for the Wildcats this past season. However, Skal's inability to rebound while getting frequently pushed around in the paint led to his minutes decreasing as the season wore on.
He averaged just 6.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 1.8 minutes per game, but did have his moments here and there on both ends of the court. The 6-foot-11, 225-pound forward scored in double figures in four of his first six career games and posted a career-high 26 points in his second career contest.
As postseason play was nearing, Skal came on late in the season with an 11-point, eight-rebound game in the win at Florida and an 18-point, nine-rebound, six-block effort in the regular-season finale vs. LSU. He made 8-of-10 shots in the victory over the Tigers.
In his NCAA Tournament debut, Skal scored 12 points and blocked six shots, tied for the second most in an NCAA Tournament game in program history.
Even with his struggles, Skal was still projected to be a first-round pick in this year's NBA draft when the season ended, and it's hard to pass on the chance to become a millionaire.
"I couldn't be more proud of a player and the way Skal handled himself on our campus this season,"Calipari said when Skal declared for the draft. "He was a great student, a great teammate and I'm so proud of the way he handled himself in the community. He is one of the greatest kids I've ever coached."
As the draft process wore on, teams became more and more enamored with Skal's potential to eventually develop into a super-talented NBA big.
"I firmly believe that in 2-3 years from now, maybe 5 years from now, I can be the best player in this draft," Skal said at NBA Draft Media Day. "I’m very versatile, both on offense and defense and as that gets stronger and more mature, and my body matures more, I can become a really really good NBA player."
While his play on the court left a lot to be desired, Skal was an amazing person off the court and as nice of a human being as you'll ever meet. In terms of character, Skal may be the best to come out of this draft.