Skal Labissière facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Skal Labissière

Labissière with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2019
No. 8 – Stockton Kings
Center
Personal information
Born	(1996-03-18) March 18, 1996 (age 29) Port-au-Prince, Haiti
High school	Evangelical Christian School (Memphis, Tennessee) Lausanne Collegiate School (Memphis, Tennessee)
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
College	Kentucky (2015–2016)
NBA Draft	2016 / Round: 1 / Pick: 28th overall
Selected by the Phoenix Suns
Pro career	2016–present
League	NBA G League
Career history
2016–2019	Sacramento Kings
2016–2017	→Reno Bighorns
2019–2020	Portland Trail Blazers
2021	Westchester Knicks
2022	Cangrejeros de Santurce
2023	Mexico City Capitanes
2023–present	Stockton Kings
2025	Sacramento Kings
Career highlights and awards
NBA G League champion (2025) NBA G League Next Up Game (2024, 2025) First-team Parade All-American (2015)

Skal Labissière (born March 18, 1996) is a professional basketball player from Haiti. He plays as a center for the Sacramento Kings in the NBA. Before joining the NBA, he played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. He also played for the Stockton Kings in the NBA G League.

Early Life and Moving to the U.S.

Skal Labissière was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He started playing basketball at a school in Port-au-Prince. In 2010, a big earthquake hit Haiti. Skal, his mom, and his brother were trapped when their home collapsed. They were stuck under the debris for three hours. Skal's legs were pinned, and he couldn't walk for a few weeks after.

A few months later, Skal moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in the United States. He went to live with Gerald Hamilton, who helps young athletes from other countries come to the U.S. to pursue their dreams.

High School Basketball Journey

When Skal first arrived in Memphis, he attended Evangelical Christian School. He started playing varsity basketball when he was in eighth grade. At first, Skal spoke very little English. He needed a French interpreter in all his classes. But after only a few months, he learned English and became fluent.

In 2014, Skal moved to another school in Memphis, Lausanne Collegiate School. Because of this move, he was not allowed to play basketball for Lausanne that season. Instead, he played for a team called Reach Your Dream Prep Academy. He played very well, scoring about 26 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and blocking 4.5 shots per game.

Skal was considered one of the best young basketball players in his age group. Many colleges wanted him to play for them.

College Career at Kentucky

Labissière playing for Kentucky

Skal decided to play college basketball for the University of Kentucky. The coach, John Calipari, thought Skal was a very talented player. He even compared him to famous NBA player Anthony Davis.

When the season started, many people thought Skal might be the first player picked in the 2016 NBA draft. During his one season at Kentucky, he played in all 36 games. He averaged 6.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game.

After his first year, on April 5, 2016, Skal decided to enter the NBA draft. This meant he would leave college early to become a professional player.

Professional Basketball Career

Starting with the Sacramento Kings (2016–2019)

On June 23, 2016, Skal Labissière was chosen by the Phoenix Suns as the 28th pick in the NBA draft. This made him the highest-drafted Haitian player since 2001. Soon after, his draft rights were traded to the Sacramento Kings. He signed his first professional contract with the Kings on July 15, 2016.

Skal played his first NBA game on November 5, 2016. He scored 8 points and grabbed 3 rebounds. On March 15, 2017, he had an amazing game against the Phoenix Suns. He scored a career-high 32 points and also had 11 rebounds. This was his first "double-double" (scoring double digits in two different stats). He was the youngest Kings player to score over 30 points and get 10 rebounds in a game.

During his first season, Skal also spent some time playing for the Reno Bighorns. This team is part of the NBA G League, which is like a development league for the NBA. He continued to play for the Kings and the G League team in his second season. On January 2, 2018, he had a career-high 15 rebounds in a game.

Playing for the Portland Trail Blazers (2019–2020)

On February 7, 2019, Skal was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. He played well in his new team. On April 10, he started in the last game of the season. He scored 29 points and had 15 rebounds. He helped the Blazers win a game where they were far behind.

In February 2020, Skal was traded to the Atlanta Hawks. However, he did not play any games for the Hawks. After that season, he became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team.

Journey Through the G League and Other Teams (2021–Present)

In December 2020, Skal signed with the New York Knicks, but he was waived shortly after. He then joined the Westchester Knicks, which is the Knicks' G League team. He played his first game for them in February 2021.

In 2022, Skal played for Cangrejeros de Santurce in a league in Puerto Rico. In 2023, he joined the Mexico City Capitanes, another G League team.

On November 9, 2023, Skal was named to the opening night roster for the Stockton Kings. He re-signed with the Sacramento Kings in September 2024, but was waived again in October. He then rejoined the Stockton Kings. In March 2025, the Sacramento Kings signed Skal to a 10-day contract.

Career Statistics

Here are some of Skal Labissière's basketball statistics:

NBA

Regular Season

Playoffs

College

See also

In Spanish: Skal Labissière para niños