Rookie Yves Missi Has Best Game Yet For Injury-Riddled Pelicans

The rookie out of Baylor showed his promise as the Pelicans future big man in a narrow defeat to the Pacers.

Nov 25, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi (21) shoots the ball in the first half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans came into this season with high expectations after a healthy offseason and the addition of All-Star guard Dejounte Murray to fill a hole at the point guard position. Those expectations died down dramatically as the Pelicans experienced injuries to nearly their entire rotation within the first few games of the season. Sitting at 4-14 in a loaded Western Conference, the Pelicans have not had much to be happy about thus far, but arguably the lone bright spot is the production of rookie Yves Missi.

In a 114-110 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Monday night, Missi had his best performance of the season yet. The 21st overall pick put up 16 points, 13 rebounds, two blocks and two steals in 31 minutes of action. He was extremely effective on the glass and finished with force in the paint. Missi made a few incredible defensive plays including stealing the ball from Tyrese Haliburton on a drive and taking it down for the dunk on the other end. The Pelicans needed every minute of Missi on the court as they were +26 with him on the court and -30 with him off the court.

The rookie has been a pleasant surprise for the Pelicans averaging 7.5 points, 7.3 rebounds (leads the team) and 1.1 blocks per game. Missi was known for his rim protection and rebounding abilities coming out of college, which have translated seamlessly to the NBA game. His potential will be determined by how much he can grow his offensive game outside of just being a lob threat and paint finisher. Even then, his skillset is extremely valuable for a Pelicans team in need of what he brings to the table.

As key starters and rotation pieces return from injury, Missi should continue to play a key role for the Pelicans moving forward. He has proven he is more prepared for the NBA level than some expected coming out of Baylor and has shown his ability to impact the game at a high level. If the Pelicans are able to make a playoff push when they are healthy, Missi's play will be a big reason for their turnaround.

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