Skal Labissiere may not be a household name yet, even for Sacramento Kings fans, but he is ready to make a lot of noise this coming season. He has continued to work hard to improve his physique, and now he has a better mindset which could help establish himself in the league as more than just a fixture on their team's bench.
A native of Haiti, Labissiere visited his home country during the summer, which served as a reminder to him of how much blessings he has. The Kings youngster is now using this to motivate himself to be the best player that he can be, and also added, via Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee, that he is glad to see his countrymen having better lives now following the destructive earthquake that hit them back in 2010.
“It was a reminder that you have to be thankful,” said Labissiere. “Going back and seeing how people were living there and just seeing I can make a big difference out there.”
“I’ve always had a different perspective, but it was a good reminder.”
“I’m already thinking about next summer. What we can do better next year, as far as the camp goes and how we can give back to the community out there.”
Dave Joeger confirmed that Skal Labissiere has indeed bulked up during the offseason. Although the Kings head coach also admitted that Labissiere will continue to be a project for them, Joeger is still pleased with the work he's put in.
“We buffed him up pretty good last year, and by the end of the first week he was back (slim),” Kings coach Dave Joerger joked. “But he’s buffed up and he’s kept it throughout summer league and all the running. During the season you’re going to get smaller but he’s keeping that strength on.”
“He won’t be a finished product this year either. It’s three, whatever number of years from now, when he fills into his body completely.”
Skal Labissiere appeared in 36 games for the Kings last season, and even started 12 of them, where he averaged decent numbers of 6.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in 15.8 minutes per outing. He also received multiple assignments to the Reno Bighorns of the G-League to gain more experience and additional workouts.
If he can build on his productive summer, Labissiere could earn the opportunity to be part of their roster for the entire season. With the reminders his trip to Haiti gave him, it could be enough to boost his confidence, play with a lot of purpose and make the most out of his chance in the NBA.
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