NEW YORK — Kentucky-bound big man Skal Labissiere expects to be cleared by the NCAA and plans to arrive on the UK campus by July 1.
“I’ll be able to play right away,” Labissiere told Kyle Tucker of the Louisville Courier-Journal on Friday. “The NCAA is going to clear me and I’ll be able to play right away.”
As for when he plans to arrive on campus, the 7-footer told me after the Jordan Brand Classic on Friday, “I think the first week of July. I’ll have to find out when I get there.”
A Memphis-based AAU coach told SNY.tv and CBSSports.com last November that Labissiere’s guardian, Gerald Hamilton, hoped to profit off Labissiere, a native of Haiti.
Gary Parrish CBSSports.com and ESPN’s Jeff Goodman also reported then that the NCAA had begun to build a file on Labissiere, although an NCAA source was unable to confirm that to SNY.tv.
Since then, Labissiere’s stock has exploded and he is now projected as the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. He did nothing to alter those perceptions while playing in front of scouts from all 30 NBA teams last week in New York at the Jordan Brand Classic.
During his time in New York, Labissiere also got to bond with future Wildcats Isaiah Briscoe and Charles Matthews. All three were on the East team that lost to the West, 118-116, Friday night at Barclays Center.
“It was fun, it was interesting,” Labissiere said. “We bonded off the court, talked to each other a little bit. Three days is not enough time to get to know each other so I’m really looking forward to going into the summer with them and getting to know them better.”
Labissiere was especially impressed with how the 6-3 Briscoe played, going for 22 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists and playing brilliantly down the stretch.
“I think it was great,” he said. “Obviously, I think he’s the best point guard in the class, he showed why he was. I don’t think nobody can guard him off the dribble, and he went out there and did his thing in the last couple minutes.”
Meantime, Labissiere told SNY.tv he’s been recruiting Jaylen Brown and Cheick Diallo, two of the last key uncommitted guys in the Class of 2015, to Kentucky. He and Diallo have a French connection.
“I talk to Jaylen the most and Cheick,” he said. “Cheick was my roommate at the Nike Hoop Summit and I’ve been hanging out with him a lot this week so we talk about it.
“He can help us, the way he plays, he’s going to play right away. He has so much energy when he plays.”
