Offensive Game
Developing offensive player — elite lob finisher and rim runner. Post game and mid-range range still in early stages of NBA-level development.
Career Journey
New Orleans Pelicans
2024-present
No. 21 overall pick (2024)
First-round pick of New Orleans out of Baylor; grew up in Yaounde, Cameroon.
2024-25 All-Rookie Second Team
Started 67 of 73 games as a rookie, averaging 9.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks.
Rookie rebounding standout
Led all 2024-25 rookies with 26 double-digit rebounding games.
| Season | GP | PPG | RPG | APG | FG% | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 66 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 1.3 | 54.4% | 0.0% |
Missi's path is a fast one. Born in Yaounde, Cameroon, he'd played organized basketball only a few years before New Orleans drafted him 21st out of Baylor in 2024 and handed him the starting center job as a rookie. That first year earned All-Rookie Second Team honors: he ran the floor, protected the rim, and led all rookies in games with double-digit rebounds. The 2025-26 season was more complicated. With a healthier, deeper Pelicans frontcourt, his minutes fell from 26.8 to 19.7 and his scoring dipped to 5.7 a night before a hand injury ended his year early. The honest read on Missi: the motor, mobility and 54% finishing are real NBA tools, but the free-throw line (below 60%) and a still-developing game outside the paint are what stand between him and holding the job long-term.
Offensive Game
Developing offensive player — elite lob finisher and rim runner. Post game and mid-range range still in early stages of NBA-level development.
Defensive Game
Elite shot-blocker with outstanding wingspan and verticality. Alters shots at a high rate and is the best rim protector on the roster.
Intangibles
Developing NBA IQ with strong shot-blocking instincts. Positional defense and off-ball reads are the primary learning areas in his second season.
Personal Life & Family
Status
Single
Parents & Siblings
Off the Court
Connections to African basketball development programs
Did You Know?
Missi is from Cameroon, joining a long line of African-born players who have become significant NBA contributors — from Dikembe Mutombo to Joel Embiid.
He was one of the youngest players in the 2024 draft class, born in 2004 and selected at just 20 years old.
His shot-blocking instincts drew comparisons to Mutombo's peak defensive impact at Baylor, though their playing styles differ significantly.
Missi is one of two 2025 NBA Draft big men on the Pelicans roster, alongside Derik Queen — both developing as the franchise's long-term center solution.
Career Honors
2024 NBA Draft 21st Overall Pick
Big 12 Shot-Blocking Leader
Official Jerseys
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New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans
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