2016 NBA Draft: Who Are The Top Incoming Freshman?

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Mar 25, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; View of the Kentucky Wildcats logo on the video board during practice for the semifinals of the midwest regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports /

Skal Labissiere, Center — Kentucky

High School: Lausanne Collegiate School (Memphis, Tenn.)

Kentucky has produced half of the No. 1 overall picks in the last six NBA Drafts, and with Labissiere joining the team in Lexington this fall, that trend may continue.

While ranking as the No. 3 recruit on ESPN, Labissiere is the top big man prospect in his class and could easily make the jump to the top pick with a good freshman campaign. In fact, DraftExpress already lists him as the future No. 1 pick.

For those wondering, top propsect for the 2016 draft is (IMO) Skal Labissiere, another 7'er. Some good SF prospects (Simmons, Brown, Ingram)
— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) June 26, 2015

Much like recent Kentucky big man and No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns, Labissiere can do it all.

An exceptional athlete with an ideal 7’0”, 216-pound frame, Labissiere has the potential to an elite shot blocker and rebounder. He definitely needs to fill out his body, but his physical tools scream NBA rim protector.

Offensively, Labissiere can score both inside and out, as he has the size to work from the low post as well as the touch to shoot outside jumpers. His offensive versatility is something that is coveted in the NBA, and if he proves himself as a legitimate offensive threat, it will be hard to pass up on him with the first overall pick.

Labissiere flashed his elite potential at the Nike Hoops Summit in April while stuffing the stat sheet with 21 points, six rebounds and a whopping six blocks. He also threw down some insane dunks in the practices leading up to the contest.

With a still excellent but less stacked Kentucky roster, Labissiere may not play the big minutes that guys like Simmons will play, but he will definitely have his chance to shine for head coach John Calipari. With the spotlight on him, the young big man has a big-time opportunity to prove himself as the top player in next year’s NBA Draft.

Next: The Golden Bear