NBA Draft: Yves Missi Surging as College Basketball Hits Home Stretch
Coming into the season, Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter was a much-talked about five-star prospect, capable of carrying the load for the Bears on the offensive end.
And while Walter’s done just that with his shooting prowess, big man Yves Missi has begun to grab headlines more in recent weeks.
At 6-foot-10, Missi has long been an attention grabber with his stout, lengthy frame and complimentary athleticism. He’s got good mobility for his size, a bouncy offensive game and solid defensive instincts. But now, the stats are starting to back up the eye test.
The numbers have always been there — a host of double-doubles and 3-plus block performances littering his early-season slate – but Missi has really come alive in the back half of the season.
In his last 11 games, Missi has averaged 13.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks while shooting a blistering 64% overall and a solid 77% from the line to match. Most impressively, he’s done so in just 27 minutes per game.
His best performance featured 25 points and nine rebounds versus TCU, where he looked the part of an unstoppable paint enforcer for all 42 minutes.
On the season, Missi has now put together a solid line for a good basketball team, all while being just 19. Despite an abundance of big man talent in the 2024 draft in Alexandre Sarr, Donovan Clingan, Kyle Filipowski, Kel’el Ware and more, he’s begun to establish himself as a prominent figure.
In terms of his projected range, centers or forward-hybrids can be a little tricky as they're usually fairly specific to team scheme. Still, any team in need of size, athleticism and a potentially high ceiling could bank on Missi as high as the late lottery.
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