NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Pelicans have made their pick.
With the 21st pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the Pelicans selected Baylor center Yves Missi.
The 6-foot-11 big man has a 7-5 wingspan and is considered one of the best athletes at his position in the draft.
He played just one year at Baylor.
The 20-year-old averaged 10.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 34 games. Missi also made the Big 12 All-Defense team.
"Obviously really excited to be in a position to improve our frontcourt the way we did," Pelicans Executive VP of Basketball Operations David Griffin David Griffin told media on Thursday. "I think the defensive versatility of Yves is something we are really excited about. He's not just a rim protector, he has the ability to be a multiple coverage big. He's a player we're really excited about in terms of upside, but also in terms of character...his intelligence as a human being, his instincts and the speed at which he picks up new information is really exciting."
Newly promoted team general manager Bryson Graham also touted Missi in the post-pick presser.
“He just kept getting better and better throughout the year,” Graham said of Missi’s development. “Hopefully (in the NBA) his learning curve is short. When he got to Baylor, everyone thought he was going to redshirt (and sit out games in 2023-24). He actually thought he was going to redshirt. That just goes to (show) that he picks up things really, really quickly. His intelligence, his raw natural ability – it’s exciting.”
The NBA Draft continues with the second round on Thursday, however barring a trade, the Pelicans do not currently have another selection.
The second round will air on ESPN at 3 p.m. C.T.
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