Yves Missi Helps Pelicans in First Career Start

New Orleans’ rookie Yves Missi was impactful in his very first go in the starting lineup.

Nov 1, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi (21) reacts to dunking the ball against Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

After losing longtime starter Jonas Valanciunas to free agency this offseason, the New Orleans Pelicans had plenty of questions surrounding their center position.

Now, rookie Yves Missi seems to be answering those.

Through six games, Missi looks clearly ahead of schedule, on Friday night making his first appearance in the starting lineup. Selected at No. 21 in the 2024 NBA Draft, the former Baylor hybrid was thought of to be a more project-esque pick, but he’s wowed in early minutes.

In his first-ever start, this one against the Eastern Conference titan Pacers, Missi added just four points, but nabbed a crucial 10 rebounds and sent one block in finishing as a +8 plus-minus. His top highlight on the night had New Orleans standings:

YVES MISSI MY GOD pic.twitter.com/cqUCWG9NGf

— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) November 2, 2024

Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Jordan Hawkins were the primary stars on the night, but Missi’s steadiness helped the team cruise to a 7-point win over Indiana.

On the season, he’s now averaging 6.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.7 blocks per game in just over 20 minutes per contest. He’s already well ahead of schedule as a rookie, and is showing a ridiculously high ceiling as an athletic rim-runner and shot-blocker. He was a one-and-one at Baylor, quickly becoming a fan-favorite for the Bears due to his high-energy play.

The Pelicans snapped a three-game losing streak on Friday night, and next take on the Atlanta Hawks at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.