The New Orleans Pelicans selected Cameroonian center Yves Missi with the 22nd overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Missi is an intriguing center who the Pelicans have selected with the hope he evolves into the franchise's long-term starting center. He shared a video of himself playing in the streets of Cameroon as a teenager, showing how far he has come to be drafted in the NBA.
Missi comes from Yaounde, Cameroon, the capital city famous for giving us NBA stars such as Joel Embiid and Luc Mbah a Moute. Pascal Siakam is also from Cameroon, so the nation has had a track record of producing solid NBA stars in recent years. Missi started playing basketball at the age of 16, quickly finding himself playing in American high schools before getting a scholarship to the University of Baylor.
Missi averaged 10.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in his sole year with Baylor, proving to be a gifted rim protector with size and agility. His defensive versatility is extremely promising, fitting into the Pelicans' draft ethos of selecting multi-positional defenders.
With starting center Jonas Valuncuinas leaving the franchise in free agency and backup Larry Nance Jr. being traded to the Atlanta Hawks , Missi will have a legitimate opportunity to shine in minutes for the Pelicans.
He is still a raw big man, but the example of Dereck Lively II on the Mavericks proves how freshman centers could have a different impact in the NBA provided they're in the right role. The nine centers selected in the Draft this year prove teams are trying to replicate that example into winning results. Hopefully, Missi works out for the Pelicans.
Missi Followed His Family's Example Into Basketball
Basketball runs in the family for Missi, with his parents playing for the Cameroon national team in the 1980's. His father, Jean-Paul, stands at 6'10" while his mother Annette is 5'9".
Missi's older brother, Steve Moundou-Missi, had his share of success in NCAA basketball as the captain of the Harvard Crimsons, being named the 2015 Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year while being a three-time All-Ivy League selection. He also represented the Cameroon national team.
Missi didn't start playing basketball until the age of 16, explaining how he started with soccer as his dream before following his family's example .
"Oh yeah, so I was actually born in Belgium and then we moved back to Cameroon. I lived there. I've been raised in Cameroon probably most of my life... I started playing soccer. I didn’t play basketball, at first. Then I saw how my parents used to play basketball on the National Team, both my mom and my dad, and also my brother were playing basketball. So whenever he was coming back for summer, he used to play with the National Team."
After watching his family succeed in the sport, a rapidly growing Missi decided to switch sports.
"From there, I started playing basketball and I saw I was getting taller so it was kind of logical to move from soccer to basketball. I started playing and focusing on basketball, and from there, I committed to Baylor."
His natural ability and dedication have made him a first-round pick in the Draft, with fans palpably excited about what he can achieve with the Pelicans. While his lack of floor spacing could be a concern in a frontcourt with Zion Williamson, he's so raw in his abilities that there's no telling how he may develop.
Related: Pelicans Reportedly Offered Brandon Ingram For Alperen Sengun, Rockets Weren't Interested
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