Thunder Draft Report: Baylor's Yves Missi

Yves Missi is an electric big man for the Baylor Bears who could add size to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Baylor Bears center Yves Missi (21) reacts to the ball being knocked out of bounds on him in the / Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY

Despite battling for a top spot in the Western Conference, the OKC Thunder still have an absorbent amount of picks, including a projected lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Let’s take a look at Yves Missi and how he would fit into the Thunder system.

Draft Profile 

• Height: 7'0
• Weight: 235
• Wingspan: N/A
• Age: 19
• School: Baylor

Quick Scouting Report

Missi is an ultra-athlete who brings a gallon of juice to work with him every day. From his rim-rattling dunks to his seventh-row swats, everyone around him will feed off his energy.

Strengths and Weakness

Strengths

The 19-year-old is the prototypical rim-running big man who is shooting 65 percent at the cup with a shot chart that looks like a war zone in the painted area but is clean as a whistle everywhere else. His explosiveness at the rim allows him to finish through contact or rise up above his matchup for easy buckets.

Missi is the ideal pick-and-roll partner with his understanding of screening angles, physicality and soft hands to capitalize on easy chances around the ring. Couple this with his ability to thrive in the dunker spot, catch lobs and blow past off-ball defenders on cuts it is clear to see how he will quickly be a guard's best friend. As the Bear plays with ball handlers who command attention and see the defense shade over to him, Missi will be there as a safety net.

His shot-blocking ability is just the tip of the iceberg on Missi's defense. He has the makeup to dominate pick-and-roll coverage, deter shots at the rim, fly out to corner shooters, and course-correct in a hurry if he gets beat off the dribble.

Weaknesses

Missi has attempted one jump shot this season and shoots a lowly 62 percent from the charity stripe. There is no hope of the Baylor product becoming a jump shooter at the next level and he might be hacked off the court by his lack of ability to convert at the free throw line late in games.

While Missi's defense is mostly encouraging, he has to cut down on fouling at the next level. A way to do that will be upstarting the art of walling up at the rim. Staying planted and taking advantage of his wingspan to not come over the top and hack drivers.

Along with his poor shooting, he also will not fit into any other "modern" category as a big man. This is your typical rim-running prospect who can fill a need for a team but not much more.

Availability

• Draft Digest: 12
• Ringer Guide: 19
• ESPN Mock: 22
• The Athletic: 17
• Bleacher Report: 10
• CBS:  16
• Draft Net: 43
• Tankathon: 15

Thunder Fit

Future Role 

The Baylor product has a shot to be one of the best starters on the floor in the right situation. From his defensive prowess to the fact that any heliocentric guard would love to play with him, Missi can be be deadly with a star and shooters lineup around.

Ultimately, it is more likely he comes in as a bruising leaper that sets a physical tone and excites the building off the bench.

For the Thunder, the latter would be his primary role, though as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander closes first and third quarters without his typical starters flanking him, the luxury of Missi being his pick-and-roll partner could help elevate those groups.

Rotation Fit

Missi could struggle to get on the floor consistently for the Thunder. The question becomes would you rather have Jaylin Williams out there who fits OKC's identity better, or Missi? That would be answered on a matchup-by-matchup basis.

Missi would allow Mark Daigneault to have a counter to anything the opposition threw at him using Missi in massive lineups, or sticking him in as the lone big against a more traditional five something that is not necessarily on the table right now for the Thunder. While that is a massive benefit to round out the roster, it is a delicate balance to use such a high pick on a rotational luxury with little upside.

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