Sources: Sixers work out Baylor big man Yves Missi ahead of NBA draft

Not only does Yves Missi have the ideal size to back up Joel Embiid, they both have ties to Yaoundé, the capital city of Cameroon.

As a result, the 6 foot-11, 235-pound Missi shouldn’t have a tough time fitting in with the 76ers if he’s selected by the team in next week’s NBA draft in New York.

The team got an up-close glimpse of the 20-year-old, who was born in Belgium but grew up in Embiid’s home city and has Cameroonian citizenship. Missi participated in a predraft workout at the Sixers practice facility in Camden on Tuesday, multiple sources told The Inquirer.

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The team has the 16th and 41st picks in the draft.

Missi, a candidate for the Sixers at No. 16, is projected to be selected in the mid to late first round. While a project, the athletic big man has the potential to be a solid rebounder and rim protector. He has drawn some comparisons to JaVale McGee, Clint Capela, and Dereck Lively II as a being a screen-and-roll type of player who can finish alley-oops.

Missi averaged 10.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in 34 games this season at Baylor. He shot 61.4% and was named to the all-Big 12 defensive and freshman teams.

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He moved to the United States in 2021 to attend West Nottingham Academy in Maryland. Missi later transferred to Prolific Prep in California. As a senior, he was regarded as ESPN’s 13th-best college prospect and third-best center in the class of 2023.

Paul Reed, at 6-9 and 210 pounds, is Embiid’s backup center. Athletic and able to protect the rim, Reed is more of a power forward/center.