The New Orleans Pelicans enjoyed a rare positive outing on Thursday against the Sacramento Kings in what has been a disastrous season for Willie Green’s men. The Pelicans currently sit rock bottom in the NBA‘s Western Conference, having managed an underwhelming record of 13-42 so far. While they managed to scrape past Sacramento in their recent game, the win did not come without cost, as New Orleans lost Yves Missi to injury in the middle of the match. As such, fans have expressed concern regarding the newcomer’s state.
Here are all the available details regarding the Cameroonian center’s latest ailment.
How did Yves Missi get injured?
Yves Missi sustained a knee injury in the Pelicans’ recent 140-133 victory vs the Kings, which forced him to exit the game.
The 20-year-old basketballer hurt his right knee just 12 minutes into the aforementioned game. Missi remained absent for most of the second quarter before the Pelicans confirmed that he would not be returning in the Thursday match due to his injury moments after the second half’s commencement. Karlo Matkovic took his stead for the remainder of the fixture.
Prior to his injury-driven exit, Missi managed to record two points (1-2 FG), two rebounds and one block.
When will Yves Missi return to play for NBA?
At the time of writing, it remains unclear as to when Missi will be able to make a comeback to the court. However, fans can expect more details on the up-and-coming center’s condition after he undergoes the necessary medical assessments.
Notably, this is Missi’s first-ever season as a professional after he became the Pelicans’ 21st overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft. Before the recent knee injury interrupted his debut campaign, Yves Missi averaged 8.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game, with a field goal percentage of 54.3%.
The Pelicans will face the Dallas Mavericks in their next NBA match-up.
