Yves Missi

Yves Thierry Missi (born 14 May 2004) is a Cameroonian basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Baylor Bears.

Early life
Missi was born on 14 May 2004. He was born in Belgium but grew up in Yaoundé, Cameroon. He moved to the United States in 2021 and began attending West Nottingham Academy in Maryland. He later transferred to Prolific Prep in Napa, California, and averaged 9.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. A five-star recruit, he was highly recruited and was ranked by ESPN as the second-best player in California, the 13th-best player nationally and third-best center.

Missi played at the Nike Hoop Summit in 2023 and won The Grind Session World Championship with Prolific Prep, earning a place at the GEICO High School Nationals. He also played in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) and averaged 12.7 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game with the PSA Cardinals. He committed to playing college basketball for the Baylor Bears and reclassified to be able to join them for the 2023–24 season.

College career
Missi impressed early in the 2023–24 Baylor season. Following his freshman season, he declared for the 2024 NBA Draft and received a green room invite.

New Orleans Pelicans (2024–present)
On June 26, 2024, Missi was selected with the 21st overall pick by the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2024 NBA draft and on July 8, he signed with the Pelicans.

Personal life
Missi is a Cameroonian citizen. He is eligible to also apply for citizenship in Belgium where he was born.