Last Updated on July 28, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Yves Missi is an athletic NBA center whose rim protection, lob finishing, offensive rebounding, and interior defense have quickly established him as a promising frontcourt prospect for the New Orleans Pelicans after his standout college season at Baylor. His rim-running big-man archetype, explosive vertical athleticism, shot-blocking instincts, and efficient paint scoring fit the mold of a modern defensive anchor.

Here is the information on Yves Missi:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Yves Missi
  • Nationality: Cameroonian
  • Age: Born May 21, 2006
  • Hometown: Originally from Cameroon
  • Height: 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 meters)
  • Weight: 210 pounds (95 kg)
  • Wingspan: 7 feet 2 inches (218 cm)
  • Shoe Size: Size 18 (US)
  • Number: 21 (Baylor), 21 (New Orleans Pelicans)
  • Position: Power Forward / Center
  • High School: Prolific Prep (Napa, California, USA)
  • College: Baylor Bears (Baylor University)
  • NBA Draft: 2024: 1st round, 21st overall pick
  • Teams Played For: New Orleans Pelicans
  • Championship Rings: None
  • Kids: None
  • Siblings: One brother (Steve) and three sisters (Amanda, Audrey, and Corinne)

Player Archetype / Play Style

Yves Missi’s player archetype is that of a modern rim-running defensive anchor: a mobile center who does his best work protecting the basket, finishing above the rim, and creating vertical pressure as a screener. Defensively, he projects as a paint patroller and pick-and-roll big who can block shots, contest at the rim, and hold up better in space than many centers because of his foot speed and lateral mobility. Offensively, his role is more functional than self-creating, built around dives to the rim, lob finishes, dump-offs, offensive rebounds, and easy baskets generated by movement and timing rather than polished shot creation. Physically, Missi stands out for his length, fluidity, catch radius, and explosive athleticism, with reported near-6-foot-11 size in socks and a 7-foot-2 wingspan. His play style is energetic, direct, and low-maintenance: he runs hard, plays above the rim, brings rim pressure, and gives a team value through defense, vertical spacing, and activity even while his half-court skill game continues to develop. (NBA)

Scouting Report

Yves Missi doesn’t hunt for touches; he hunts for space behind the defence. That’s an important distinction because so much of his offensive value comes from how quickly he recognises the moment a ball-handler has gained half a step. His screens are purposeful, but it’s the acceleration out of them that creates problems. He gets from contact to the front of the rim in a hurry, forcing the low man to make an early decision, and that opens passing lanes as much as it creates lob opportunities. The interesting thing is that he doesn’t need polished post moves to be productive. Quick dives, offensive rebounds, baseline cuts and finishing before the defence can load up account for most of his best work. His hands are generally dependable in traffic, and when he secures the ball he wastes very little time gathering. Defensively, the physical tools immediately stand out, but what I’ve always liked is that he rarely looks rushed covering ground. He can play in drop coverage without becoming completely static, sliding back with enough mobility to contest at the rim while remaining aware of pocket passes developing behind him. There are flashes of switching onto smaller players for a few dribbles before recovering, although asking him to live on an island against quicker guards isn’t the best use of his skill set. The trade-off is that his offensive game can become predictable if teams successfully take away the roll. He isn’t someone who consistently punishes switches with polished post seals or manipulates defenders as a short-roll passer, so much of his impact depends on playing with guards who force rotations in the first place. That’s where his fit becomes obvious. Place him in an offence built around downhill creators and constant pick-and-roll pressure, and his rim running becomes a weapon that affects defenders even on possessions where he never touches the ball. To me, there are shades of Clint Capela in the way he creates vertical pressure, while some of his defensive movement patterns and willingness to challenge everything around the basket resemble a younger Bismack Biyombo before the game slows down enough for experience to sharpen the finer details.

Notes:

  • Similar players to Yves Missi include Clint Capela.
  • His sister Corinne Missi plays college basketball for the Spring Hill Badgers.

Player Insights

Yves Missi played college basketball at Baylor with Ja’Kobe Walter. Yves Missi and Ja’Kobe Walter offer strong value relative to their draft range based on their physical tools and defined roles. Yves Missi projects stylistically as a rim-running center in the mold of players like Clint Capela, built around vertical spacing, rebounding, and interior defense. It didn’t take much reviewing of his college tape to make me think of Clint Capela. I think Yves Missi cannot only provide teams top 100 value on the court, but his athletic profile and role as a rim-runner give him a pathway to early rotation minutes as he adjusts to NBA pace and physicality. Most teams don’t like to rely on rookies, but his defensive activity and rim protection could position him for situational minutes in high-leverage games as his experience grows. 11/9/2024

Sources:
NBA.com — Pelicans pick Yves Missi at No. 21 in first round of 2024 NBA Draft
Sports Yahoo — Yves Missi: NBA draft scouting report and intel
Sports Illustrated — Pelicans Select Yves Missi No. 21 Overall at 2024 NBA Draft
NBA.com — 2024 NBA Mock Draft with pro projections for top prospects