Yves Missi Looks the Part | The Prospect Overview
Yves Missi has displayed incredible prowess as a defender and finisher. Maxwell makes the case for him as a future NBA starter. PLUS: New Mexico vs. Colorado State in the MMGOTW and Quick Hits!
Feature: Yves Missi Looks the Part
The second Yves Missi stepped onto the floor for Baylor this season, I thought, “oh wow, that guy looks like an NBA player.” At 7’0” and 235 pounds, his frame looked ready for the next level. But that doesn’t mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things. It doesn’t mean nothing, but it certainly doesn’t mean everything, either. Many front offices have whiffed by taking players who looked the part over guys who actually had the talent. But as the year has progressed, it’s becoming increasingly obvious that Yves Missi looks like an NBA player in terms of his production, too. He’s been one of my favorite prospects to watch this season. Others are catching on, as he ranked 26th in the latest $DRFT Stock Market. Even with his recent rise, I’m higher on Missi than consensus. Let’s talk about what makes him such a fascinating player and why I had him ranked 16th on my most recent board.
Defensive Playmaking
Yves Missi makes things happen on defense. If the season ended today, he would join Joel Embiid, Onyeka Okongwu, and Isaiah Jackson as the only high-major freshmen to post a BLK% over 9.5, STL% over 2, and BPM over 3 in the last decade. I mentioned Missi’s frame earlier, and that certainly helps. But he’s also an excellent mover with a high motor. When combining his length, agility, and desire, there’s little opposing offenses can do to stifle him.
Missi is averaging 1.9 BPG. That’s great, but it becomes mind-blowing when the fact that he’s only playing 20.6 MPG is taken into account. Part of it is that he’s an explosive leaper. Whether he has to pop off his feet against a post up or leap out of his slide, he’s able to get up off the floor and turn opponents away at the rim. His strong chest allows him to swallow up drivers at the rim, too. The bottom line is that when opponents meet Missi at the rim, a tough test is in front of them. Just ask Kyle Filipowski, who found himself on the receiving end of three rejections from Missi during their contest. Because he’s so fast off the floor, he can block shots outside the paint, too. His 1.1 SPG is an equally impressive feat for a big man. Missi can use his long arms to tip post entry passes, but so can a lot of tall players. What makes Missi special is his speed, as he’s capable of jumping passing lanes out on the perimeter. His blend of tools, motor, and anticipation make him a playmaking force on the defensive end. Which brings us to…
Ball Screen Scheme Versatility
Ah, yes, ball screen scheme versatility. Everybody wants a big man who can cover screens in a multitude of ways. Missi is ready to do that. His size and leaping ability should allow him to be rock solid in drop coverage at the next level. But Missi will also be bringing genuine switchability to the table at 7’0”. Missi has done a tremendous job on the perimeter this year. He’s light on his feet and rarely gets crossed up, so quicker players aren’t going to put him on skates.
The man is imposing. When he’s switched onto smaller players, or when he blitzes a ball screen, they panic and make mistakes. Sometimes opposing ball handlers will straight-up turn the ball over. Even the plays that don’t necessarily end up in the stat sheet still create positive outcomes, though. Missi routinely forces opponents to pick up their dribble at inopportune times, bringing their offense to a screeching halt. With many big men, the question is if they can survive on an island. In Missi’s case, the question is if he’ll let his opponent get out alive.
Whatever an NBA asks Missi to do on the defensive end, he’ll be capable of doing it. He will bring value to an NBA franchise because of the versatility he provides. If a team needs to switch game plans or strategies, he’ll be up to the task. But I also believe that it gives him an additional safety net from an evaluation standpoint. When I wrote about Zach Edey in a recent article, I noted that there will have to be certain accommodations made for him on defense. That won’t be the case for Missi—within a few years, he’ll have something to offer every NBA team on that side of the ball.
Adding Polish
I love what Yves Missi projects to be on defense, and a large part of that is that he’s already shown himself to be very good at basketball on that end. Still, he’s not perfect. He’s too jumpy right now. He bites on fakes, and while his recovery tools are stellar, his jumpiness still enables opponents to get easy looks and forces defensive rotations. On post plays, he can overplay his man too far to one side, giving them an easy move to the basket. He’ll occasionally have problems with his positioning in drop coverage at times, allowing the roll man to get clean looks. Regardless of these issues, I’m still excited about the player Missi will become. We’re talking about a 19-year-old who only has about five years of basketball experience and is already outpacing his peers. These are common defensive warts for many young seven-footers, and Missi is already way better than most of them. I believe he can, and will, improve in these respects as time goes on.
Screening and Dunking
On paper, Yves Missi’s offensive profile appears simplistic. He gets his work done as a play finisher, and he’s an efficient one. Per Synergy, Missi has attempted 72 field goals this season. Of those shots, 67 are classified as “at rim,” meaning dunks, layups, and tip-ins. The other five are hook shots. He does not take jumpers. And that’s fine! Not every big man needs to be a stretch five. That’s especially true when you factor in how potent of a finisher Missi is—he’s converted 77.5% of his halfcourt shots at the rim, and he ranks in the 91st percentile on points per possession as a roll man, per Synergy. But digging into the tape, it’s the way Missi goes about this efficiency that screams NBA translatability.
Missi screens. A lot. He sets picks for his guards. If they don’t like the initial look they get from it, he might flip the screen or re-screen. Because Missi is both strong and tough, he often makes good contact on these picks. This helps get his teammates space and leads to offensive advantages. From there, Missi can roll with fervor, explode off the floor, and grab a lob to finish above the rim. His catch radius, bounce, and love of contact make him an ideal alley-oop target who can put anybody on a poster. Because of his quickness, he’s dangerous off the slip, and he can catch opponents off guard because he typically lays in through contact. Missi has real rim gravity, as he’s 19th in the country in dunks right now. Again, he’s doing that in just over 20 MPG.
Something I love about Missi is that he screens off the ball a lot, too. A lot of times when I’m watching college big men, they don’t put a ton of effort into off ball screening. They’ll do a poor job of finding a body or go through the motions. It’s not a “fun” task on the court because often, the screener isn’t getting anything out of it for themselves. Missi doesn’t care. He still relishes the opportunity to level opponents with his picks and help his teammates get open looks. Plus, this actually gets Missi clean looks, too! Baylor occasionally runs “screen for the screener” actions where Missi sets up as if he will set an off-ball screen, but really, a guard will screen for him, and Missi will come off the action for a clean look at the rim. My one small gripe on these plays is that he has bobbled a few lob passes recently. I’ve liked his hands on the glass this year, so I’m not overly concerned, but it’s something I’ll be monitoring going forward.
Missi’s screening and finishing are a match made in heaven. In a world where so many big men want to be unicorns, Missi has thoroughly embraced his role for the betterment of his team. He’s completely low maintenance, but he’s low maintenance in a way that still elevates everyone else around him. His selfless approach to setting picks, both on and off the ball, helps his teammates generate advantages and get open shots. And when he slips or rolls to the rim, watch out. His build, explosiveness, and tenacity leave few questions about whether or not his finishing can scale up to the next level.
Feasting on the Glass
Speaking of low maintenance production, I’ve got to touch on Missi’s work on the offensive glass. He’s averaging 3.5 offensive rebounds per game. His 21.4 OREB% is the third-highest mark in the country, per BartTorvik, and it’s one of the best numbers I’ve seen for a legitimate NBA prospect. For context, Jalen Duren had an OREB% of 14 in college. Guys like Mark Williams and Charles Bassey were at 13.2%. Missi isn’t just a good offensive rebounder, he’s a special offensive rebounder. His gravity leads to additional openings for his teammates. Teams have to put a body on him, or else his team will get an extra possession and likely, an easy shot at the basket. As a result, big men navigating drop coverage in ball screens are afraid to commit to ball handlers because they need to stick with Missi on the boards. But even when opponents box him out, the war isn’t won. Missi scraps and claws for positioning. He uses every inch of his wingspan to get his fingers on the ball and keep it in play. On top of his constant work rate as a screener, his relentless motor on the offensive glass will make him an exhausting cover for opponents at the next level.
Free Throw Issues and Feel Concerns
Right now, there are two red flags plaguing Yves Missi’s statistical profile. The first is his poor free-throw shooting ability. He’s at 50.9% from the charity stripe this season. While many younger big men struggle at the foul line, he is indeed particularly bad there. Most of the big men who have stuck in a rotation over the last eight years were closer to the 72% mark. It’s not a death sentence, as guys like Rob Williams (47.1%), Jarrett Allen (56.4%), and Walker Kessler (59.6%) have all managed to get over the hump despite their college struggles at the line, thanks in large part due to their defensive contributions. Still, Missi will need to improve here, or he could become a Hack-A-Shaq target.
This next issue is actually a worse statistical outlier, but it’s the one I’m less worried about, funnily enough. Yves Missi has only posted three assists on the season, giving him a horrifying 2.0 AST%. It is exceptionally rare for anyone to post a number that low, let alone an NBA prospect. While that’s scary, I’m not losing sleep over it.
I think a lot of it has to do with his role. In the six Prolific Prep games tracked by Synergy last year, Missi had seven assists. He had 16 in 14 games during his final EYBL season. Historically, he hasn’t been unwilling to pass. And he isn’t selfish or a poor decision maker—his TOV% is a low 9.8%. Missi can actually put it on the deck a bit, too. Simply put, Missi doesn’t get to make a lot of passes. His role is to screen, roll, and be a force on the glass. He’s doing those things, and he’s doing them really well. I want to see more flashes here, but I don’t think he’s toast in this respect. Plus, a guy like Bam Adebayo had an assist rate under five in college. I’m not saying that Missi will be Bam or anything close to him as a distributor, but rather, I’m illustrating how a player’s situational use can have a significant influence on assist numbers.
Conclusion and Projection
Yves Missi may have shortcomings, but his shortcomings are part of what makes him so intriguing to me. Sure, he might be struggling at the charity stripe, he’s not a polished playmaker, and he has the occasional defensive lapse. But that’s true for a lot of players his age. That shouldn’t subtract from what Missi is—a special defender, a selfless screener, and a powerful finisher. On defense, his mobility and length remind me of guys like Nic Claxton and Jalen Duren. While his offensive game may be a simple one, a player like Clint Capela has found tremendous success by grabbing lobs out of orbit and sending them home with the fury of 1,000 suns. Missi has looked like a good NBA player from both a physical and production standpoint all year, and he deserves lottery consideration for his output. At worst, Missi’s athleticism and prowess should see him hang around NBA rosters for years to come. But at his best, I see a long-term, impactful starter who finishes plays at a high level and can fit into any defensive scheme.
Mid-Major Game of the Week
This week’s Mid-Major Game of the Week (as decided by you, The Sickos) was a Mountain West clash between the Colorado State Rams and the New Mexico Lobos! This time, the Rams came out on top 76-68.
Colorado State’s graduate guard Isaiah Stevens was the best player on the floor. He scored 17 points, going 4-8 from the field, 1-2 from three, and 7-7 from the free throw line. Stevens’ high-end speed, determination, and toughness as a driver helped him finish inside and get to the free-throw line. His deadly mid-range game was on full display, too. He’s a great tough shot maker, which is why he’s converted 63.3% of his pull-up twos on the year, per Synergy. While he only took two triples, his make came off movement. He set his feet both beautifully and promptly to get his shot off in a timely manner.
Stevens also added eight assists, thanks to his outrageous passing acumen. He’s an excellent ball screen operator, ranking in the 95th percentile on those possessions accounting for passes, per Synergy. Stevens truly sees the entire floor. He can string guys out, his pull-up jumper keeps defenders honest, and his recognition is out of this world. The millisecond a teammate springs open, Stevens gets them the ball. He can make long, sharp, and accurate finds across the floor to the weakside corner. Few operators can match his savvy and trustworthiness, as he’s averaging 7.4 APG to 2.5 TOV per game.
There are obstacles in his way when it comes to an NBA projection. The biggest one is his size. At G League Elite Camp this past summer, he measured at 5’10.75” barefoot with a 6’4” wingspan and sub-8’ standing reach. With only two blocked shots and no dunks on the year, he’s not the most vertically explosive, either. While his strong 185-pound frame and outstanding awareness help him (three steals in this game), the defensive end of the floor will be an uphill battle for him at the next level. Still, it’s hard to write off Stevens, and he deserves real Top 100 consideration. He’s a mesmerizing passer, has the speed required of smaller guards, and he’s a threat from outside (career 39.7% from three, 85.7% on free throws). He also deserves an immense amount of credit for being the ringleader of one of college basketball’s best and most exciting teams. I get it—he’s a small guard in a class that may have a million of them. But few will come into the draft with Stevens’ level of polish and feel.
The other Rams player to start seriously monitoring is Nique Clifford. Fellow staffers Evan and Corey have been driving his train for some time, and I’ve decided to hop on board. He’s 6’6”, 200 pounds, and his position is Basketball Player. Clifford racked up 11 points, 10 rebounds, an assist, two blocks, and two steals in this one. He’s a powerful driver with a nifty handle who can finish above the rim. He sees the floor on the go. He’s always getting in on the glass, which is so critical to what the Rams do as a team given that they play a shorter starting five. On defense, he does an excellent job of throwing his body on guys. There was a play where he walled off Donovan Dent’s attempt to get to the rim and then floated to swat his shot. There’s a beautiful blend of athleticism, strength, motor, and intellect going on here. My knock on him is the speed of his jumper. He got one three-ball attempt swatted, and he had to pass up a few others because it takes him a while to get off his shot. Becoming a more consistent outside threat with a more rapid release would swing things dramatically for him. One thing is happening rapidly, though, and that’s his rise up my board.
Patrick Cartier led Colorado State in scoring with 21 points. The 6’8” redshirt grad is a talented passer and shooter. He’s a deadly pick-and-pop partner with Isaiah Stevens. When teams chase him off the line, he’s got great footwork. He whirled and twirled to get to the rim for easy ones. An NBA projection is dicey here, as he doesn’t rebound much (2.2 RPG) and his athletic limitations show up on defense (0.8 STL% and 0.8 BLK%). His size and skill should enable him to have a long career internationally.
Let’s hop over to the Lobos side of things. Donovan Dent has built up considerable buzz lately. The 6’2” sophomore (covered by Tyler Metcalf here) recently cracked our consensus Top 60. There’s real reason for excitement, as evident by his near double-double in this game (10 points, nine assists). He’s an exceptionally slick passer who readily punishes big men when they slip up in ball screen coverage. His vision and ability to separate with his quickness make him a nightmare to contain. Physically, he has a ways to go (170 pounds), and his lack of strength bit him inside a few times, like on the Clifford block I noted earlier. Longer, bigger players are giving him headaches, and that will only intensify as he scales up in competition. While he did have two steals, he also gambled himself out of position a few times, and a smart team like Colorado State made him pay for it.
While our group rankings have him draftable now, I think Dent may be best waiting things out in college. That way, he can fill out his frame, become a more threatening shooter (35.3% on only 1.3 threes per game, 64.3% on free throws), and round out his defensive game. If he does, I think his athleticism and playmaking ability could see him rocket up boards and land him in a more comfortable situation out of the gate.
I continue to be enamored with 6’9” freshman JT Toppin (17 points, 11 boards). He’s a big-time finisher and displays a high motor on the glass. I love him as a roll man, as he can either lay in the screen or be quick on the slip, and he gets from the floor to the rim in a hurry with the ball. His jumper and free throw shooting need work. He’s 25% from three on the year, 60.5% on free throws this year, 0-3 from the charity stripe in this game. But with his size, rim protection (6.5 BLK%), athleticism, and switchability, the building blocks here are awesome.
Veteran guard Jaelen House had an up-and-down game. I covered House during my No Stone Unturned series this offseason, noting my fascination with his defensive output. While he did nab two steals, he also found himself in foul trouble, racking up his fourth with a good amount of time left in the second half. He was red hot from deep, though, going 4-5 from three-point range. House was assertive off the catch, whether in the halfcourt or transition. From a playmaking standpoint, it was rough, as he posted one assist to four turnovers. While he did make some nice passes that he didn’t get rewarded for, he was often too sped up and made multiple frustrating decisions. His struggles inside the arc on the year (34.8% on twos), age as a graduate prospect, and small frame (6’0”, 170 pounds) will likely keep him out of the Top 60. That said, his defensive playmaking and shooting (41.3% from deep) could still earn him consideration for a two-way contract or training camp deal.
Next week’s Mid-Major Game of the Week will be Drake vs. Indiana State! Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter/X to vote in future Mid-Major Game of the Week polls!
Quick Hits
-For those wondering, Alex Sarr is still the top prospect on the most recent board I submitted for our composite rankings. The 7’1” big man’s defensive versatility, inside-out scoring upside, and ball skills make him too enticing to pass up.
-Tidjane Salaun has been a hot name as of late, so I dug into some of his recent game tape. The 6’9” 18-year-old, who plays for Cholet in France, has been on a heater from long range. He’s now up to 37.9% across all leagues this season. Salaun can connect from NBA range, and the energy transfer aspect of his mechanics appears more seamless than it did in the past. He’s got some real bounce off two feet and has some sauce with the ball in his hands, too. Still, I have concerns about his feel, as he faces bad bouts of tunnel vision on offense. Defensively, he has the length and tools, but his technique needs a lot of work. His feet get crossed up a lot, and he doesn’t contain the ball as well as his tools would suggest. I’m not as high as consensus is on him yet (#15 on the $DRFT Stock Market), but he feels like a reasonable first round bet at worst. He’s got size, a good frame, can stroke it, and put it on the deck. If he can reign in his decision-making and improve his defensive discipline, which many young players inevitably do, he could be a real-deal NBA contributor.
-It’s so great to see Bronny James back on the court. He’s already shown a more advanced ability to read the floor. His tenacity guarding the ball and high motor chasing down blocks in transition are the type of stuff that jumps off the screen. I think he’s going to find greater consistency with his shot (currently 31.6% from deep), too. When he does, I could easily see him climbing into my Top 20.
-While we’re on the USC tip, I want to give a tip of the hat to Isaiah Collier for his performance against Cal, where he finished with seven assists and zero turnovers. He was poised, changed speeds more often, and kept his eyes up the entire time on drives. If he can display that more patient, calculated version of himself more consistently, it could help him climb back up boards.
-Speaking of great performances, my goodness, Matthew Cleveland had himself a game against Clemson. The 6’7” Miami junior has always been a good defender and intriguing playmaker, but his 3-4 performance from long-range against the Tigers was a glimpse into what he could be. He’s always had a pretty mid-range pull-up, but he’s long been gun-shy from three. When Cleveland gets assertive with his shot from beyond the arc, it makes him a much more dangerous player. His 4.5 attempted threes per 100 possessions is a low number. The NBA players who stick after posting that type of volume in college are usually bigger, stronger forwards. He needs to keep taking open looks, especially given that he’s at 47.1% on the year! Cleveland has become a solid shooter, and he needs to take more of them—not just for his own development but for the betterment of his team.
-I checked in on stat sheet stuffer supreme Isaiah Crawford in Louisiana Tech’s matchup against Grand Canyon. The 6’6” graduate does a little bit of everything, and he’s got a strong 220-pound frame to boot. On offense, he’s sharp and crafty. His handle is tight, he can create off the dribble, and when he has a straight line to the basket, he gets there with big, long, efficient strides. He sees the floor well, whether it’s from a standstill or in the middle of one of his attacks. His off-ball defense is sublime. He’s great at using his long arms for digs and displays good timing as a rim protector. His 4.0 STL% and 4.9 BLK% both jump off the page. My two concerns are his jumper and his on-ball defense. He’s a 38% career three-point shooter, but the volume has always been low, and he passes up open ones. When guarding the ball, he can be stiff through his hips and doesn’t slide his feet as well as I’d like. Given his size, feel, and production, he probably deserves two-way consideration, but improving in those two departments could get him over the hump.
-Butler senior Jahmyl Telfort is an interesting sleeper. The 6’7”, 225-pound senior is a powerhouse. He bullies opponents to get to his spots in the paint. From there, he can use his scoring touch to get buckets or leverage his gravity to find the open man (3.1 APG, 16.6 AST%). His steal and block rates have always been just okay, even while playing at Northeastern, and he’s a career 31.2% from deep. Those are real concerns that will hold him back, but his unique blend of size and skill could make him a sneaky two-way candidate.
-Eastern Washington’s Cedric Coward remains one of my favorite long-term mid-major guys. The long, athletic 6’6” wing has seen a massive increase in his offensive role this season, and he’s handled it well. He’s gone from scoring 7.3 PPG to 13.6 PPG, and he’s doing that on hyper-efficient 53.1/43.1/87.5 splits. There were questions to be asked about his 39.4% from deep last year because he was only taking one three per game, but now he’s at 43.1% on 4.1 per game. His assist-to-turnover ratio and defensive playmaking metrics have taken a dip, but I’m still convinced that he’s a savvy decision-maker who can make things happen on defense when the offense gets scaled back again. Plus, as I noted when I covered him during the No Stone Unturned series, Coward is one of the most driven and intense players I’ve spoken to. He is going to maximize every opportunity he is given.
-A deep-cut name to monitor is UT-Martin’s Jacob Crews. The 6’7” wing is having a stellar scoring season, posting 16.9 PPG on 49.5/42.3/74.4 splits. He’s got a pro build, he takes a bunch of threes (11.1 per 100 possessions), and he’s capable of hitting from the NBA line. Crews also has a more polished scoring bag. While not explosive, he’s silky with the ball in his hands and has the craft to create openings for himself. The redshirt junior needs to grow as a passer and defender. Growth in those two areas could really get him on the map.