As is often said by anyone invested in the New Orleans Pelicans, No. 21 pick Yves Missi is only beginning to scratch the surface of his potential. In the meantime, the Belgium-born big man made certain that the Indiana Pacers’ ambitious drivers knew that he had no problem reaching the ceiling. Seemingly positioned in a rim protector’s nightmare scenario — almost completely under the rim with a highflyer rapidly approaching — Missi accepts the challenge of meeting Aaron Nesmith’s full-steam-ahead drive head on, timing his leap at the apex for a physical swat. No. 1 in both double-doubles and blocked shots among rookies at the season’s halfway point, Missi matched eye test excellence with brilliance on the box score, even in a losing effort on November 25, 2024. In one of his most productive Year One showings, Missi collected 16 points (on 7-of-11 shooting), 13 rebounds, two steals, two blocks, and a +26 plus-minus in 31 minutes of action. · Nov 26, 2024