With training camp just around the corner for the New Orleans Pelicans, head coach Willie Green is going to have a tough decision to make when it comes to the Pels' starting center spot. Will he go to the second year, big Yves Missi, who earned All-Rookie second team honors last season, or will he go to the championship-winning veteran Kevon Looney?
Looney has a significant edge in this race, not just because of his experience and resume as a winner, but because of Missi’s flaws.
During his rookie season, he struggled with rebounding as he often was overpowered by stronger, older big men. Missi ranked in only the 53rd percentile last season in defensive rebounding percentage among bigs. Giving up offensive rebounds was not a major concern in 2024-25, but it will be this season, as the front office wants this group to win and compete in the West.
This level of unreliability on the glass could doom New Orleans during the regular season and potentially cost them some games.
Looney has been a consistent threat on the glass throughout his entire career. Over the last 4 seasons, he has ranked within the top 74th percentile in defensive rebound percentage and ranked in the top 93rd percentile in offensive rebounding percentage two of the last four seasons. His consistency as a rebounder makes him a much safer option to start at the five.
In 2023-24, the Pelicans won 49 games and had the 11th-highest total rebounds per game. Last season, when they finished 2nd worst in the league with 21 wins, they ranked 19th in total rebounds per game. Conscience, I think not.
Rebounding isn’t the only concern about Missi.
Despite shooting an efficient 54.7% from the field in his rookie season, I still have plenty of questions about Missi's ability as a finisher. During his time in the summer league, Missi shot below 30% from the field and looked like a shell of the player we saw in his rookie season. If he enters the 2025-26 regular season in the same form he was during summer league, there is no way Willie Green can justify starting him.
On the defensive side, his numbers were solid, averaging 2.3 blocks per game in Vegas. However, after looking back at some of the tape, his overall impact defensively was underwhelming; he often looked lost in the pick-and-roll and other simple coverages.
Given the numerous flaws Missi has heading into year two, he’d have to be exceptional in training camp to secure the starting center spot over Kevon Looney.