Despite a crowded frontcourt, the athletic big man emerged as a high-energy defensive force. Discover how Yves Missi’s rebounding and net-rating impact earned him a solid season grade.
The New Orleans Pelicans' season did not go as planned, but it was an interesting year for almost all of the players (for better or worse). There were some surprises, some let-downs and a whole lot of information to unpack before building next year's team.
To better understand the team as a whole, it's important to break everything down to the individual level. Here's a look at what went well, what went wrong and an overall grade for Pelicans center Yves Missi's 2026 campaign:
What Went Well
Missi might not have had a statistically better season than his rookie year, so it might sound weird to say that everything about this campaign was better than the last. His play on the court was much improved, not shocking to see from someone who has been playing basketball for less than a decade.
The 21-year-old averaged 5.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game with 1.5 blocks. He was a little less involved in the game plan, because of the log jam in the front court, but the play was better.
New Orleans was +5.4 on their net rating with Missi on the court this season. That was the third-highest mark on the team behind Dejounte Murray and Herbert Jones.
He brought a much-needed energy off the bench and used his athleticism to his advantage. He was one of the best offensive rebounders. In certain matchups, he took the game over, as they really had no answers for his defense.
What Went Wrong
While he is very athletic, which helps him in certain matchups, he's not very strong. When teams deployed centers that were able to push Missi around, he became unplayable because the offense still isn't good.
The inexperience in basketball really shines with his hands. Sometimes he looks a little lost out there and it causes turnovers.
Overall Grade - B+
It would be easy to complain about more, but this is a depth center who is still learning the game. He is approaching it the right way and growing with each passing season. He was always going to be a project player.
What's Next?
There were reports that teams were interested in Missi at the last trade deadline. Perhaps the Pelicans can trade him while there is still some value. He is a fun player who could turn out to be valuable, but they need to add another, bigger center this offseason and Missi imight end up losing even more minutes.