New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi has been diagnosed with a hyperextended right knee and will be re-evaluated next week, the team announced Friday. However, an MRI taken last night showed no structural damage. The 20-year-old will not compete in tonight’s Rising Stars game at 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend.
Chicago Bulls rookie forward Matas Buzelis will replace injured New Orleans Pelicans rookie center Yves Missi in the 2025 Castrol Rising Stars, which will take place tonight at Chase Center in San Francisco. TNT will air the four-team, three-game mini-tournament at 9 p.m. ET,… pic.twitter.com/sS6vXkTIRp
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 14, 2025
Yves Missi, the 21st overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, has emerged as the starting center for an injury-plagued Pelicans squad that lacks depth.
In 52 games (46 starts), Missi has averaged 8.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per contest while shooting 54.3% from the field and 64.9% at the free throw line.
Since Missi had been selected to participate in the Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend, the NBA announced on Friday via X that Bulls forward Matas Buzelis has been named his replacement. Buzelis was already headed to San Francisco to participate in Saturday’s dunk contest.
Matas Buzelis Will Be Replacing Yves Missi For Team M At The 2025 NBA Rising Stars Game
Buzelis has averaged 6.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 14.8 minutes per contest in 53 games (four starts). Selected 11th overall in last year’s draft, the 20-year-old Buzelis has earned an increased rotation role, scoring double-digit points in each of his past eight games and averaging 14.1 points per game on .597/.424/.765 shooting during that stretch.
According to the NBA’s tweet, Buzelis will be replacing Missi and competing on Friday for Team M, named for Naismith Hall of Famer Mitch Richmond, a Castrol Rising Stars honorary head coach.
Matas Buzelis: Rising Star 🤩
Matas will compete tonight in the NBA’s Rising Stars game! pic.twitter.com/SqnlcA7GM4
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 14, 2025
Yves Missi joins Julian Strawther as the second injury replacement on the roster. The seven-player squad also features the Thompson twins (Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson), Wizards teammates Carlton Carrington and Bilal Coulibaly, and Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara.
The 2025 Castrol Rising Stars takes place tonight at Chase Center in San Francisco. TNT will air the four-team, three-game mini-tournament at 9 p.m. ET, with the champion earning a spot to play in the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT.
