UK 5-star: 'NCAA is going to clear me'

LEXINGTON, Ky. – There's no doubt Kentucky basketball is getting a terrific prospect in 6-foot-11 center Skal Labissiere. In fact, he might be the nation's best player in the Class of 2015. The only question is when, and maybe even if, he'll be eligible to play.

But the five-star Wildcats signee, who'll participate in the nationally televised Jordan Brand Classic in Brooklyn on Friday night (ESPN2 at 8 p.m.), says UK fans need not worry.

"I'll be able to play right away," Labissiere told The Courier-Journal. "The NCAA is going to clear me and I'll be able to play right away."

Official word on that is still to come, but that's huge for the Cats if true. The handling of the Haitian native Labissiere's recruitment by his American guardian, Gerald Hamilton, has been publicly scrutinized since well before his commitment to UK.

Hamilton said in December that he believes the NCAA is looking into the case but also claims to have done nothing wrong and has no concerns about the player's eligibility. Labissiere apparently agrees and, assuming he can play for the Wildcats immediately, will be critical to their attempt at reloading after seven Kentucky underclassmen declared for the NBA draft last week.

"I didn't go there hoping that all seven guys were leaving," Labissiere said Friday. "I went there because I wanted to get better. But I wish them the best. I hope they do well at the next level. We're just going to have to focus on what we have coming in and try to make a run again for the championship next year."

Part of that is getting more players. Three uncommitted five-star UK recruiting targets are playing in the Jordan Brand Classic with Labissiere and he worked on them all week during practices. He's been after 6-7 small forward Jaylen Brown and 6-9 power forward Cheick Diallo, who are on his East team for the all-star game, "pretty hard" to sign with the Cats.

"I want more talent to join me, definitely," Labissiere said. "Hopefully Jaylen comes. I think he would help us out a lot. I just hope he comes."

Fellow Kentucky signees Isaiah Briscoe and Charles Matthews are also on Labissiere's East team this week and he said they enjoyed getting to know each other more.

"We have good chemistry," he said. "I'm really looking forward to this summer and hopefully we get better together."

Labissiere's stock is soaring after a dazzling performance at the Nike Hoop Summit last week. DraftExpress.com moved him up to the projected No. 1 overall NBA pick in 2016. Scout.com national recruiting analyst Evan Daniels said his site will strongly consider making Labissiere the top-rated recruit in the Class of 2015, too. He's currently No. 3.

Although Daniels believes that "anybody saying he is or isn't going to be eligible is just taking a guess at this point," the talent is inarguable.

"It's just the full package," he said. "His size, his skill, his improvement, his body, all those things add up to a big-time prospect and a guy that is not only going to be a star in college for one year, assuming he's eligible, but also the NBA very soon."

For his part, Labissiere sort of shrugs at his supposed breakout week at the Hoop Summit – "I think I did OK" – and the surge in hype surrounding him.

"I wasn't really surprised," he said, "because I've been working for it. That was one of my goals, so I just have to keep working and see what the next year brings for me."

Kentucky fans hope it brings immediate eligibility, as he predicts, and the program's ninth national championship.

Kyle Tucker can be reached at (502) 582-4361. Follow him on Twitter @KyleTucker_CJ.