New Orleans Pelicans Draft Yves Missi

Guess who this is....??? Hint: It reads just like Kyle Filipowski... This guy was also a 2nd rounder.... but it's not him.

Height/Weight: 6'11", 253 lbs
Age: 19 years old
Projected NBA Position: Power Forward/Center

Weaknesses revolve around his bottom-tier athleticism. While he moves his feet pretty well from point A to point B, he lacks the quickness and vertical agility that the rest of the league owns.

These deficiencies will be most glaring on the defensive side, where he'll struggle to keep up with NBA-caliber speed. Whether he's guarding power forwards or centers, he'll have trouble staying in front of them or consistently protecting the rim. He also won't be as effective on the boards.

The slow-footed tendencies will also hurt his chances to create offense. Even on closeout drives, his slashing will get corralled pretty easily by help defenders, and he won't be able to elevate over upper-echelon defenders.

In addition, he should speed up his shooting delivery in order to maximize his spot-up chances.

Long-Term Projection

As previously mentioned, unathletic players can survive in the NBA and even earn prominent roles.

If he can deliver accurate shooting and make the right plays when the ball is in his hands, he could be a poor-man's Diaw and a long-range threat like Antic. He would probably be the fourth or fifth scoring option when he's in the game, but all that matters is whether he plays efficiently.

Unfortunately, his defense will likely prevent him from ever playing 30-plus minutes or starting. However, there's no shame in being a respectable reserve on a winning team in the future.


EDIT - Nevermind Utah drafted him today at 32... SIGH

If that's Jokic, he has a 7'4" wingspan and 9'3" standing reach. He also has lateral quickness and very good touch around the rim. So you're saying Filipowski, whom has none of those things, is comparable to Nikola Jokic???