2016 NBA Mock Draft: Lakers Slide, Celtics nab Simmons

118. <p>Skal Labissiere is still in the project phase of his development. He came into his freshman season at the University of Kentucky as the 1b to Ben Simmons 1a rating, but a so-so season has caused his draft stock to fall a bit. Skal is 20 years old and stands 7-0, so his ceiling is still considered to be very high.</p> <p>Labissiere often struggled in Lexington due to his wiry stature. Coach Calipari tried to play him down low for the first half of the season, but it wasn’t until he put him in the pick-and-roll with Tyler Ulis that we began to see him show some flashes of his potential at the next level. He possesses soft touch on his mid-range jump shot, and while he didn’t extend out to the 3-point line much last season, it’s easy to see that shot as an option eventually. His shooting mechanics are excellent and when he’s got his game going it’s easy to see how scouts fell in love with his potential.</p> <p>His main struggles were the result of poor basketball IQ and sheer lack of self awareness on the defensive end. He often found himself in foul trouble, which is part of the reason he played less than 16 minutes a night. The Jazz have Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert manning their frontcourt for years to come, but NBA clubs are always looking for game-changers on the defensive end. A lot of bigs are late bloomers and getting a top 3 talent with the No. 12 pick is hard to pass up.</p> <p><em>To read more about Skal Labissiere, <a href=. PF/C. Kentucky. Skal Labissiere. 12. player