Yves Missi: 'You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take, so just go for it'

Drafted 21st overall in this past draft, Yves Missi became the fifth active player from Cameroon to make the NBA ranks. Playing for the Pelicans in an otherwise forgetful season, the 20-year-old has flown under the radar.

The dynamic rim runner sat down with HoopsHype at All-Star Weekend in San Francisco on behalf of Panini to talk about his family, the moment he realized he could turn pro, Joel Embiid, and more.

The Pelicans made the trade to bring Dejounte Murray in as the table setter for you guys. He suffered a pretty nasty Achilles injury. What are you going to miss with him?

Yves Missi: I mean, there’s a lot you’re gonna miss with Dejounte [Murray]. His passing ability, his playmaking ability. He’s just a great guy, great teammate to have on the court.

That’s someone who can impact winning in a lot of different ways. Defense, offense, creating for others, so he’s just someone you’re gonna miss for a long time and hopefully he’ll recover from it pretty fast.

In the beginning of the season, did Dejounte come up to you and tell you about how he likes to run pick-and-roll, where he likes picks set, where he wants you to be at certain actions?

YM: Yeah. Obviously since I’m the one doing the pick and roll with him, he just wants me at the straight angle, how he wants me to roll. He just communicates with me on the court and show me what he wants.

Did you look at Joel Embiid as a blueprint to your path?

YM: To be honest with you, there were a lot of guys. Like Luc Mbah a Moute, Joakim Noah, Joel Embiid, Pascal Siakam, all these guys, most from Cameroon, also playing in the NBA.

You have mentioned Embiid went to Montverde with your older sister. So, you didn’t get a chance to meet him then?

YM: No, so he went to school with my sister. When she was in the U.S., I was in Cameroon, so I never had the opportunity to meet him.

When did you first meet Joel Embiid?

YM: It was three years ago. I know his cousin, and he invited us to come watch one of his games. So, we came – and it was in Washington I think – so we came and watched the game, and then we met him 30 minutes after the game, so it was pretty great.

Does he give you advice or does he really just troll you?

YM: Yeah, sometimes. Whenever, after the game I talk to him, he just gave me some advice about basketball, how the league works, and how to just establish myself, how to play, and obviously how to impact winning.

In terms of advice with not even just basketball, did he or other NBA players kind of help you out there?

YM: I talked to all these guys, just giving me advice about how the NBA works, how to just stay in the league, how to just treat yourself as a professional, and just learn from there.

Your brother graduated at Harvard and played basketball there. In terms of being an older brother, what types of wisdom does he give you from his playing days and life?

YM: He did give me a lot of advice. He definitely just talks to me every day about what I can do on the court, what I’m not seeing, since I’m the one playing. I mean, he’s just a great mentor for me. Obviously, I saw some of his highlights whenever he played at Harvard.

And then he’s my big brother, so he’s just joking around with me. Just tells me what I should do, how I can see different aspects of my game, and how I can evolve and obviously improve.

Who in your family gives you the most life advice?

YM: I would say the guy that gives me the most life advice is probably my dad. He just talked a lot on the phone for like two or three hours about life in general. The things that he’s learned, I mean he learned a lot of different things when he was young, and then he’s just always here for me. Always trying to support me and give me the best advice.

He’s in Cameroon right now. He actually came in December for like three weeks. So he watched my first NBA game when I was playing, so it’s been dope.

Do you feel like you play better with him around?

YM: So they always see that I’m stressed out whenever they’re coming around, but it’s usually not the case. I mean, every time they are here, I’m trying to have a good game for them. Just trying to make them proud.

I read that your first thought that you could really make the leap to the NBA was when you played Duke and had 11 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks. In terms of your mindset, what changed? Did a switch turn on in your brain?

YM: So that’s actually the first time my parents actually saw me play in person. So they came to that game, and obviously, we had a good game, but we lost the game. But after that, I just felt like if you play one of the best in the country, anything really is possible. If I can compete against this type of player, I probably can try and take a chance to declare for the draft and see what happens. You know, you miss 100 percent of the shots you’re not taking, so just go for it and see what happens.

Before this particular game, did you have a lot of doubt in your game?

YM: I would not say doubt, but whenever you come as a freshman and expect to play as much and you just get there. I mean there’s a lot you’re thinking about, and obviously all these mock drafts, people are not talking about you. So you’re not thinking that it’s going to be that same year [that] you’re going to declare for the draft – maybe in a couple of years. And then whenever things just speed up and then God has a plan for you. For some reason, it just happened to be there, and I just declared for the draft.

When you look at where you were in college to now your rookie year in the NBA, what are the biggest things you would say you improved basketball-wise?

YM: I would say my playmaking ability got better. In college, I wasn’t someone who was able to create for others, and I feel like now in the NBA –since the beginning of the season – I think I average 1.5 or two assists. So just trying to get better at it. Obviously, my rebounding also got better, and my scoring ability. Really just trying to be more versatile and trying to help my teammates. And my defense also got a little better as well.

What was the first NBA game you watched as a young kid?

YM: I don’t know, but the most impactful, I would say the series with Golden State against Cleveland. LeBron against Steph Curry. That was probably the one I remember the most, just because, it was such a good rivalry, just to watch on TV. I was waking up at 2 am in Cameroon just to watch those games. It’s 2 am in Cameroon, just watching those games, dribbling the ball. I was so hyped, I was rooting for my favorite team.

What are you doing here with Panini?

YM: I came here to sign some cards. Obviously, having a great time. I’m here at the lounge, seeing myself on the cards for the first time, it’s been an amazing feeling, so just having a fun time.

It’s great. As a kid, you always dream of having this type of stuff. Having yourself on the card, just having you look here, its nice to see your own signature, it’s just amazing.

When you were a kid, did you collect cards or anything like that?

YM: I used to collect Pokemon cards when I was younger. So I would say those, but I didn’t have an opportunity to have basketball cards or anything. I grew up in Cameroon, so I didn’t have all these, but when I moved to the U.S., it became a big passion for me.

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Yves Missi: 'You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take, so just go for it'