Yves Missi Bests Kyle Flipowski in Prospect Battle

Despite the loss, Baylor’s freshman big man took it to Duke’s sophomore.

In a collegiate battle, Baylor took on Duke in Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.

Both team brought multiple NBA prospects to this matchup. On the Bears side, guard RayJ Dennis as well as wings Ja’Kobe Walter and Jalen Bridges have garnered NBA hype. On the Blue Devils side, freshman guards Caleb Foster and Jared McCain have been touted prospects for years. Also, forward Mark Mitchell was a top recruit as well.

However, the biggest matchup was between the squads’ big men. Baylor’s freshman Yves Missi got the best of Duke’s best player: sophomore Kyle Flipowski. Missi dropped 11 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks while taking just seven shots in 26 minutes of play. Flipowski played 32 minutes and recorded 13 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, but was not the most efficient scoring-wise. The 7-footer has attracted lottery attention for his skilled scoring package. He’s a fluid handler and mover for his size with impressive touch. Typically, his combination of size, skill and movement skills are too much for college big men to stop, but not for Missi.

Immediately, Missi made his physical presence felt. Flipowski had a difficult time finishing over Missi’s length and athleticism, a big reason why he shot just 5-for-14 from the floor. Missi flaunts a 7-foot tall frame, a 7-foot-6 wingspan, and a constant-revving motor. It’s not hard to imagine the disruption such a profile creates.

But Missi didn’t just show off his physical gifts, he impressed with his technique as well. He found himself in the right spots all game, displaying an understanding and awareness of how to position himself relative to his size and athleticism. This helped on both ends. Defensively, this contributed to his five blocks. He made a point to get to the spots he needed to as a help defender. Offensively, this helped as a screener, roller, and offensive rebounder. He understood what angles to set ballscreens at, where to roll, and the paths to take to find himself in perfect putback positon.

Missi made a really great impression on the national audience with his performance against Duke. It’s hard to not get excited about such a physically gifted big man with a great motor who also flashes pristine technique. He’ll need to display more scoring skill to really solidify himself as one of this class’ top prospects, but he’s got plenty of time to do so. 

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