Skal Labissiere revisited

KingsFanSince85

KingsFanSince85

All-Star
If Skal continues to develop into stud player, I officially want the credit and licensing from the nick name "La-beast-iére" :D See http://www.kingsfans.com/threads/skal-labissiere.66177/

In all seriousness, I really hope that if anything good comes out of this disappointing season, it's that Skal makes strides the last 20 or so games towards becoming the player we all hope he can be. This franchise needs some overwhelming good fortune and luck to combat ridiculous decision making going on.

MOD NOTE: I made this into a new thread and linked back to the old one. No need to bump a thread that hasn't been active since Sept. 2016 to make a point. :)
 
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People need to tamper ther expectations a bit here. No doubt Skal has a lot of talent and NBA type game but there is a LOT of work to do for him to just become a solid NBA player.

This time last year the board was buzzing about WCS and now he is no longer a flavor of the day. Skal has a smooth offensive game but will need to bulk up in a major way just to be able to consistently play 30mpg.

While the draft class from last year is showing promise for the Kings, each and every player drafted last year could disappear from the NBA just as likely as they will make it. Still way too eary to tell but the signs are promising. Everything depends on the development going forward and teaching them good habits.

People are bagging Joerget for not playing him more. He is doing a great job of developing these kids THE RIGHT WAY!
 
Way too premature to be making a thread about Skal IMO but to each his own. That said, he was my favorite pick out of the three from last year and I was scratching my head on why he fell so far. Regardless, let's hope we have something special here, I'm not really expecting a all-star but I'd love to be proven wrong. I'll take a 10 and 10 out of him with good defense and call it a success.
 
Čarolija said:
People need to tamper ther expectations a bit here. No doubt Skal has a lot of talent and NBA type game but there is a LOT of work to do for him to just become a solid NBA player.
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You don't have to tell me. As I said above, I just hope the kid develops as many are hoping. Don't at all confuse me with Peaches, who acts as the kid is a star anytime he manages to put the ball in the basket or grab a rebound. It's pretty ridiculous, actually. If he's that excited over Skal's extremely limited production, you'd think he'd have done cartwheels over Cousins instead of hate so much.

As for the moderator that created the new thread on my behalf -- what's up with the red ink?? Feels like I'm back in elementary school! :D
Sorry for breaking rules, it just seemed more prudent to me to bump and use a thread that was on topic with what I wanted to talk about than create a duplicate one. Guess I was wrong.
 
KingsFanSince85 said:
...As for the moderator that created the new thread on my behalf -- what's up with the red ink?? Feels like I'm back in elementary school! :D
Sorry for breaking rules, it just seemed more prudent to me to bump and use a thread that was on topic with what I wanted to talk about than create a duplicate one. Guess I was wrong.
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Mods make a lot of posts as regular board members. When we take action as moderators, we generally use the red ink and the words "mod note" or "modding" or something similar.

Bumping old threads can get very unwieldy. Lots of times people don't realize most of the thread is from way back when. It's a lot easier to revisit a subject and link back to the old thread, which is what I explained above. I generally sign my "mod notes"...sorry that I neglected to do so in this instance. My bad.
 
I'm comfortable being high on Skal prematurely - I feel like I've seen him tone up his muscle even over the course of this year, and word is he is a hard core gym rat. And his rebounds per minute are terrific. I'm excited about him and WCS developing together but more confident in Skal because of his nose for rebounds.
 
VF21 said:
Bumping old threads can get very unwieldy. Lots of times people don't realize most of the thread is from way back when. It's a lot easier to revisit a subject and link back to the old thread, which is what I explained above. I generally sign my "mod notes"...sorry that I neglected to do so in this instance. My bad.
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Gotcha. It's been rare that I've bumped an old thread here and didn't know (or forgot) the protocol. I've got it going forward though.

As for the red ink comment, I was just busting balls, so to speak. No worries at all. ;)
 
John Galt said:
I'm comfortable being high on Skal prematurely - I feel like I've seen him tone up his muscle even over the course of this year, and word is he is a hard core gym rat. And his rebounds per minute are terrific. I'm excited about him and WCS developing together but more confident in Skal because of his nose for rebounds.
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The thing about skal is how quick he is off his feet. When he jumps for a rebound he really "sky's" for them. You can kinda just see the opposing player just back off and not want to get posterized.

Once he jumps, he has fantastic hang time for a 7 footer. His athleticism is off the charts.

Personally, I really think he and Buddy have very high ceilings, if they continue to work hard.
 
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Thing with Skal is he has already shown great progress and skill over what many saw initialy.

Perhaps more importantly you just get the feeling he is HUNGRY. Hungry for boards. Hungry to improve. Hungry to make those that passed on him in the draft regret it.

Players enter the league with all variants of roads traveled to get there. Skal's was not an easy one. He had a brush with death that tends to adjust focus on every little detail of life.

I definitely look forward to his growth as a player.
 
Fun with silly stats and small sample sizes:

Skal (rookie year, age 20): 16.2 points/36 min, 11.7 reb/36min, 1.2 ast/36min, 1.5 steals/36min, 0.6 blocks/36min, 2.1 TO/36min, .538 FG%, .800 FT%
Player X (rookie, age 20): 16.5 points/36 min, 11.6 reb/36min, 3.9 ast/36min, 1.6 steals/36 min, 1.0 blocks/36min, 2.2 TO/36min, .512 FG%, .811 FT%

Player x?
Nikola Jokic

just don't look at the raw #s :eek::p

http://bkref.com/tiny/aqU87
 
LPKingsFan said:
Fun with silly stats and small sample sizes:

Skal (rookie year, age 20): 16.2 points/36 min, 11.7 reb/36min, 1.2 ast/36min, 1.5 steals/36min, 0.6 blocks/36min, 2.1 TO/36min, .538 FG%, .800 FT%
Player X (rookie, age 20): 16.5 points/36 min, 11.6 reb/36min, 3.9 ast/36min, 1.6 steals/36 min, 1.0 blocks/36min, 2.2 TO/36min, .512 FG%, .811 FT%

Player x?
Nikola Jokic

just don't look at the raw #s :eek::p

http://bkref.com/tiny/aqU87
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Jokic is a much better passer, seem like different kind of bigs.

How about Lamarcus Aldridge? His rookie season, at age 21: 14.6/8.1/0.6 per 36 on .503 FG%, .722 FT%
 
Top 3 reasons to watch the Kings (in order)....

1. Masochism
2. Skal
3. Masochism

Love what he's showing in the garbage time minutes he's getting in these deliciously brutal losses.
 
HighFlyingMonkey said:
Jokic is a much better passer, seem like different kind of bigs.

How about Lamarcus Aldridge? His rookie season, at age 21: 14.6/8.1/0.6 per 36 on .503 FG%, .722 FT%
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Oh, no question they are completely different players, I was just having fun with stats that looked very similar on several fronts.
 
The word on Skal was he was a mental midget despite the talent. He won me over when he went right at KAT and didnt back down. He has a soft touch and is so tall, long and athletic that once the game slows down he'll realize he can just elevate and shoot over just about anyone. He also seems to have a nose for the ball and pretty good hands, his rebounding has been a pleasant surprise. Denver color guy was gushing about him, not just from what he showed in game but he was watching him pregame and the work he was putting in. Good kid, hard worker, high skill level, I think we found our first draft steal since IT. Cant wait to see how he looks next season with a full summer of work under him.
 
That turn around over the left shoulder is something to see. I would like to see him knock down a turn around off the right shoulder. He might have already I just can't remember. If that is the case he should be able to develop a very effective fake off either shoulder and get those shots off at will. Things are looking promising with him.

Hard to believe he started playing basketball in 8th grade and only has 3 years of competitive 5 on 5 experience. He really should be looking as lost as he did in Kentucky. He improved a lot over this summer.
 
jcwkings said:
The word on Skal was he was a mental midget despite the talent. He won me over when he went right at KAT and didnt back down. He has a soft touch and is so tall, long and athletic that once the game slows down he'll realize he can just elevate and shoot over just about anyone. He also seems to have a nose for the ball and pretty good hands, his rebounding has been a pleasant surprise. Denver color guy was gushing about him, not just from what he showed in game but he was watching him pregame and the work he was putting in. Good kid, hard worker, high skill level, I think we found our first draft steal since IT. Cant wait to see how he looks next season with a full summer of work under him.
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He does seem a little lost at times, but most rookies do. I think you hit the nail on the head with your analysis here. I love his aggression and I think it will serve him well throughout his development and it will give the coaches more confidence to send him out there. One of the things I really enjoyed in last nights game was a few times that he made really good defensive reads on the P&R. He looked completely lost at other times but there were a few times where it looked like he snuffed it out and they had to re-set to something else. I think he has it in him to have a big impact on both ends. He's definitely a work in progress right now though.
 
lwc said:
I have high hopes for Skal, I don't for WCS.
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I agree somewhat. Skal has incredible skills and has a bunch of work to do to fulfill that potential. I'm confident WCS will be a good player, I just don't think he has the star potential that Skal has. I don't think it's really a competition though. I think their skill sets are different and they can play together (and I hope to see more of it) depending on match-ups. It should be fun to watch them develop together especially if Joerger stays around a while and we get to see them grow in the same system.
 
Based on what I have seen from the youngsters so far, I am comfortable is saying that Skal has the highest ceiling followed by Richardson, then Buddy.

Skal, he can just play the game. That frame needs to fill out and he needs to get stronger to bang with the PFs and Cs in the league but in terms of skills and games, he has an NBA game, just not the NBA body.

Similarly with Richardson, he has NBA game, NBA level moves. The game will slow down for him in time and that is when he can be a really productive NBA player.

Buddy has a great shot and he is a good rebounder as a guard but his lack of ball handling and ability to create for himself and others makes it more difficult for him to be a very good NBA player. With that shot though, he will stick in the league as a specialist shooter, especially if his D improves to the point where he becomes the 3&D type of guy.

Skal and Malachi can each create their own shots. It's just a bit of a process going forward.
 
Skal had 15 points in 14 minutes on 7-10 shooting against the spurs. No big deal. In the questiom of Skal v Chriss I like Skal better because he has the more unguardable weapon. Im not sure Chriss has a go to weapon at this point.
 
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Čarolija said:
Based on what I have seen from the youngsters so far, I am comfortable is saying that Skal has the highest ceiling followed by Richardson, then Buddy.

Skal, he can just play the game. That frame needs to fill out and he needs to get stronger to bang with the PFs and Cs in the league but in terms of skills and games, he has an NBA game, just not the NBA body.

Similarly with Richardson, he has NBA game, NBA level moves. The game will slow down for him in time and that is when he can be a really productive NBA player.

Buddy has a great shot and he is a good rebounder as a guard but his lack of ball handling and ability to create for himself and others makes it more difficult for him to be a very good NBA player. With that shot though, he will stick in the league as a specialist shooter, especially if his D improves to the point where he becomes the 3&D type of guy.

Skal and Malachi can each create their own shots. It's just a bit of a process going forward.
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I don't necessarily disagree with anything in your post, but every time someone says "Skal doesn't have an NBA body," I think "neither does Durant." Not to compare the two, but Durant's success in the NBA gives me hope that if Skal doesn't develop a more prototypical NBA body, he can still be successful.
 
jcassio said:
I don't necessarily disagree with anything in your post, but every time someone says "Skal doesn't have an NBA body," I think "neither does Durant." Not to compare the two, but Durant's success in the NBA gives me hope that if Skal doesn't develop a more prototypical NBA body, he can still be successful.
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The main difference seems to be, that Skal hasn't the speed or the handle to play SF. So Durant is most likely the wrong guy to look at. But still I don't understand why people are so focused on his body weight or his perchieved lack of strength.
His game isn't really built around drawing contact or using strength. It's more or less centered around getting enough seperation to shoot over people. Why should we force him to change that?
Defense and rebounding could be a concern, but let's be honest - which teams will make it their main point of attack to overpower him inside, meaning forcing him to guard 1vs1 in the post in the era of zone and switch it all defense?
Well if I would coach the Kings, I would count myself a happy guy, if a team like GS says "screw that Green+Curry pick&roll we ran again and again, let's post up Green versus this skinny dude and play from there"...
I don't think this is likely to happen. So it all comes down to a few possessions, where he will give up a putback, because his opponent overpowers him and the ref's don't blow their whistle.
Honestly strength and weight is the last thing I would worry about, if I would coach Skal Labissiere (as every professional athlete he will have his nutritionist and follow a conditioning plan, so these things will gradually improve over his career anyways). Developing him to a point, where he can play a pick&roll or pick&pop in his sleep on both ends is the thing, that will make or break his NBA career.
He is a 6'10 kid with a jumpshot and great hops - the potential in the pick&roll is limitless once he develops 3point range and improves his handle to a point, where he can safely put the ball onto the floor once or twice to get to the basket under control.
 
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