Mock Draft: Raptors Tabbed to Take Baylor's Defense-First Center

The Toronto Raptors are projected to make a high-upside pick in the first round by selecting Baylor's freshman center Yves Missi with the No. 19 pick

Feb 20, 2024; Provo, Utah, USA; Brigham Young Cougars center Aly Khalifa (50) holds the ball against Baylor Bears center Yves Missi (21) during the first half at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Raptors can afford to be patient.

There's no expectation for the Raptors to be good next season. There's an argument to be made it might even be counter-productive for the organization in the long term if a spot in the play-in tournament is Toronto's best-case scenario next season.

Sure, an NBA-ready prospect would help the Raptors next year. But maybe Toronto is better off looking toward the future and taking someone with more upside. That's what The Athletic seems to think the Raptors will do with Baylor's freshman center Yves Missi pegged to Toronto at No. 19.

Missi is not ready for regular NBA playing time.

The 20-year-old averaged just over 20 minutes per game for the Bears this past year. He chipped in 10.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game in somewhat unimpressive fashion. He was essentially a non-shooter from anywhere outside the paint, didn't even attempt a three-pointer this past season, and was a 61.6% shooter from the charity stripe.

None of that screams special NBA prospect.

But what Missi lacks in box score stats he makes up for in physical and athletic ability. He measured 6-foot-11 at the combine with a standing reach of 9-foot-1.5. That's paired with a 38.5 max vertical jump, the fourth-best among centers, and a 3.12 second three quarter sprint, again the fourth-best among centers at the combine.

"Missi is a project, but with elite tools that project to a clear NBA role," Sam Vecenie of the Athletic wrote. "He’s a terrific athlete who moves his feet fluidly in space, given his size, and can sky for impressive lob finishes in transition and from the dunker spot. He blocks shots well and has potential to stick with guards for multiple slides on defense."

The Cameroon-native isn't going to be some uber-switchable big man, but he moves his feet better than Jakob Poeltl and would give Toronto some more defensive flexibility against teams in pick-and-roll coverage.

Toronto doesn't quite have a need for a big man today with Poeltl and Kelly Olynyk on multi-year deals, but the losses of Christian Koloko and to some extent Jontay Porter over the past year have left the organization without a young big man for the future. Missi isn't the ideal floor-spacing big man to pair with Scottie Barnes, but his defensive upside should make him attractive to a Raptors team desperately in need of some more defensive toughness.

If the Raptors don't fall in love with any of the wing players available toward the second half of the first round, it wouldn't be surprising to see Toronto go after a center. Zach Edey and Kel'el Ware have both worked out for the organization and Missi is the type of center the Raptors could have its eyes on too.