Breaking Down the ROTY Case for Yves Missi
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It’s been a roller coaster ROTY race for the season so far, and it cannot be denied that losing Jared McCain to an indefinite injury meant that the campaign is now wide open. That’s how Yves Missi has suddenly stumbled in the radar for many analysts, and it does seem that he is offering a promising punch in the race at this point.
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Who is Yves Missi?
Selected with the 21st overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Yves Missi has turned out to be quite the promising haul by the New Orleans Pelicans after they traded away Jonas Valanciunas in the offseason. The Pels did not have any big man on their reserve – with Zion Williamson being the closest replacement possible, and this meant that Missi was slated to be quite an impact player who would be filling in big minutes.
Four months into the action, it does seem that Yves Missi has made his presence felt in the game, and has certainly found his way to being a regular on the Pelicans’ starting rotation, which says a lot about the impact he is making in the game right now.
Surrounded by a collection of playmakers and scorers in Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, and Brandon Ingram, it does seem that Yves Missi has the full potential to make the most of his games as the sole center in the team – at least with fresher legs than Daniel Theis. At this point, he is making the most of his run with the Pelix, and he can definitely ensure that he will be rocking the ROTY campaign now more than ever with the way he is playing right now.
Yves Missi Stats (Updated as of January 15, 2024)
| Points per Game | Rebounds per Game | Blocks per Game | Field Goal Percentage |
| 9.0 | 8.2 | 1.4 | 55.9% |
So far, Missi’s numbers have been improving well and are on the rise according to his 27.3 minutes per game. For a rookie that was selected beyond the lottery, it does seem that he’s meeting expectations and may well be exceeding some with the way he has evolved into a starter for head coach Willie Green’s rotation. For now, the Pelicans are dealing with a lot of injuries, mainly with Zion – and Missi is doing a great job to recover on that end by putting up impressive performances so far.
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Yves Missi’s Odds for the ROTY
One of the best futures betting picks to enjoy is the NBA’s Rookie of the Year, where all the new talents of the game get evaluated in a way and punters show off which players are really the best. But if you want to wager on Missi and other rookies – that’s fine, and we’d even recommend that you visit our parlay and odds calculator to get a grasp of your potential winnings.
Rookie of the Year Odds (Updated as of January 15, 2024)
| Rank | Player, Team | Best Odds to Win |
| 1 | Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs | +125 |
| 2 | Yves Missi, New Orleans Pelicans | +225 |
| 3 | Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers | +350 |
| 4 | Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks | +1000 |
| 5 | Alexandre Sarr, Washington Wizards | +2000 |
As of the time of writing, Yves Missi trails Stephon Castle for the ROTY odds in the season. But believe it or not, that is just by a small margin, and it cannot be denied that with Castle dealing with a scoring slump, the odds may soon shift in favor of Missi. We have even seen Missi rank 1st overall in the KIA Rookie Ladder last December 31st, so we may well see him improve further and continue to make some big strides in the long run.
What Does Yves Missi Need to Improve?
Still, every rookie in the NBA needs to improve a part of their game, and one can even say that there’s still hope for Missi to build on his skill set and show vast growth in the years to come. However, to further solidify his case for the ROTY race, there may well be a need for Missi to change up or at least continue refining some aspects of his game, especially if he is going to edge centers such as Alexandre Sarr and Zach Edey – both rookies who average bigger numbers than him.
Here are some of the facets that Missi needs to improve on in the long run:
Consistent Performance
In the last 10 games, Missi’s games has seen a lot of ups and downs, and he did not really impress well in that December showdown versus Zach Edey but fired away his afterburners in a back-to-back clash with Alexandre Sarr to open up the first three games of January. This just shows how Missi’s consistency continues to be questionable but promising nevertheless. He has to shake the rookie stagger and get started to more mature scoring phases in the long run.
Shot Selection
Sure, the force and brute strength of centers in the NBA are finally back, and there’s definitely a lot of talk about how shot selection among big men is easily a strength and a disadvantage at the same time. For starters, it is easy to score the ball when you’re just a foot or two away from the basket, but Missi’s shot chart has been quite questionable for some time. There are times when he’s been able to make the best out of his efforts against a tougher opponent – like when he dropped 21 points on Nikola Jokic, but struggled to score field goals against Edey with just six points overall. Missi has got to work on his touch and could even use the board more as his friend to get better percentage shots.
Defensive Presence
Remember when Missi racked up 12 points, nine rebounds and FIVE blocks against the Los Angeles Clippers on New Year’s Eve? Well, that says a lot about how he is able to conjure up a defensive wall that can help the Pelicans establish its presence in the game. Most of the games where Missi’s had at least a single block ended up in a tight contest, showing how his presence in the paint seems to be quite a great look for his growth in the long run.
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Can Yves Missi Score a Promising ROTY Win?
Looking at past ROTY winners, many have been big men or players who made an immediate impact with their physical presence and versatility. For instance, players like Joel Embiid (2016) and Rudy Gobert (2014) made their mark on the league with elite defense and rebounding early in their careers. While Missi’s offensive game isn’t fully refined yet, he has the tools to become a similar force on both ends of the floor, which could help him gain traction in the ROTY race.
While Yves Missi may not be the front-runner in the 2024 Rookie of the Year race, his chances are far from slim. The Pelicans’ lack of a clear-cut star, combined with Missi’s immense potential and the opportunity to start immediately, positions him as a sleeper pick for the award. With his defensive prowess, rebounding, and untapped offensive game, Yves Missi could make a serious push for Rookie of the Year, especially if he can consistently contribute to his team’s success.
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