The Sacramento Kings are bringing back an old buddy to light the beam with them next season.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports Monday that the Kings are reuniting with former big man Skal Labissiere. The 27-year-old Labissiere is getting a one-year, partially-guaranteed contract from Sacramento.
A former five-star recruit, Labissiere was expected to be one of the top picks in the 2016 NBA Draft but saw his stock slip after a fairly underwhelming freshman season at the University of Kentucky. He ended up going No. 28 overall in the draft to the Phoenix Suns (with the Kings later acquiring his rights). Labissiere played for the Kings from 2016-19, averaging 8.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
It looked like Labissiere was done for good in the NBA, having been out of the league since the 2019-20 season and then spending his last couple of years playing professionally in Mexico and Puerto Rico. But the Kings, who lost big men Chimezie Metu and Richaun Holmes this offseason, will give Labissiere another chance. Labissiere becomes the latest of many ex-Kentucky standouts to land on Sacramento’s roster.
