Yves Missi Kevon Looney New Orleans Pelicans
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With Kevon Looney sidelined to start the year, the New Orleans Pelicans are turning to second-year center Yves Missi to anchor the paint — and prove he’s ready for a breakout season.
Kevon Looney’s New Orleans Pelicans regular season debut will have to wait. The veteran center suffered a proximal tibiofibular ligament sprain in his left knee during the Pelicans’ preseason trip to Australia and will miss 2–3 weeks, the team announced. It’s a short-term setback, but one that immediately shifts responsibility to second-year big man Yves Missi, who’s coming off a quietly impressive rookie campaign.
Missi’s Opportunity Comes Early
Missi, the 21st overall pick in the 2024 draft, earned All-Rookie Second Team honors last season after averaging 9.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game across 67 starts. Now, with Looney and rookie Derik Queen both sidelined, he becomes the Pelicans’ unquestioned anchor in the paint as the regular season begins.
“I’m pretty comfortable,” Missi said during media day. “Coming into Year 2, I should be better than last year. I’m more confident than ever.”
Confidence will be key. Missi led all Pelicans in minutes played (1,956) and games (73) last season — rare durability for a rookie center still adjusting to the league’s speed and physicality. His defensive energy, rim protection, and ability to finish around the basket turned him from a “multi-year project” at Baylor into a core piece of New Orleans’ rotation faster than anyone expected.
Looney’s Absence Magnifies Missi’s Role
Looney’s arrival this summer — via a two-year, $16 million deal — was meant to bring stability, rebounding, and playoff-tested leadership to the Pelicans’ young frontcourt. Last season with Golden State, he averaged 6.1 rebounds in just 15 minutes per game and remained one of the NBA’s most dependable screen-setters and positional defenders.
Without him, New Orleans loses a steady veteran presence. It also exposes just how thin the team’s center rotation is to start the year. Queen is still recovering from July wrist surgery, and while Karlo Matkovic and Hunter Dickinson can log spot minutes, neither offers the defensive range or athletic mobility Missi brings.
That puts the sophomore in the spotlight. For a team looking to stay competitive in the Western Conference, Missi’s early-season growth could make the difference between stability and struggle.
Next Step: From Energy Big to Everyday Anchor
Missi’s focus this offseason was on improving his defensive rebounding and finishing efficiency after leaving a few points on the table as a rookie. He’s not asked to stretch the floor — not yet — but rather to run, rim-protect, and finish lobs created by Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, and Jordan Poole.
On a roster loaded with scoring options, Missi’s job is simple but critical: clean the glass, protect the rim, and set the tone inside. And with Looney’s debut delayed, his learning curve just accelerated. Paired with the fact that this Pelicans team no longer has their first round pick in 2026 (due to the draft day trade to acquire the pick that landed Derik Queen), New Orleans in a win-now scenario amongst a competitive Western Conference.
If his rookie season was about proving he belonged then this year is about showing he can anchor a frontcourt — and keep the Pelicans steady until their veteran big man returns.