New Orleans Pelicans Center Yves Missi has been diagnosed with a hypertextended right knee and will be evaluated again next week, the team announced on Friday. However, an MRI that was taken last night showed no structural damage. The 20-year-old will not compete in the Rising Stars game tonight during the NBA All-Star weekend 2025.
Chicago Bulls Rookie Vooruit Matas Buzelis will replace the injured New Orleans Pelicans Rookie Center Yves Missi in the 2025 Castrol Rising Stars, which will take place tonight in Chase Center in San Francisco. TNT will broadcast the four-team, three-game mini tournament at 9 p.m. pic.twitter.com/SS6VXKTIRP
– NBA Communications (@nbapr) February 14, 2025
Yves Missi, the 21st overall choice in the NBA design of 2024, has emerged as the starting center for a pelicans plagued by injuries who misses depth.
In 52 games (46 starts), Missi has an average of 8.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per match for 54.3% out of the field and 64.9% on the free throw line.
Since Missi was selected to participate in the Rising Stars event in All-Star Weekend, the NBA announced on Friday via X that Bulls Forward Matas Buzelis has been called his replacement. Buzelis already went to San Francisco to participate in Saturday’s Dunk competition.
Matas Buzelis will replace Yves Missi for team M at the NBA Rising Stars match 2025
Buzelis has an average of 6.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 14.8 minutes per match in 53 games (four starts). Selected 11th General in last year’s design, the 20-year-old Buzelis has earned an elevated rotation roll, scored with double digits in each of his last eight games and an average of 14.1 points per match on .597/.424/.765 shooting During that piece.
According to the tweet from the NBA, Buzelis Missi will replace and compete on Friday for team M, named after Naismith Hall of Famer Mitch Richmond, a honorary head coach of Castrol Rising Stars.
Matas Buzelis: Rising Star 🤩
Matas will compete tonight in the Rising Stars game of the NBA! pic.twitter.com/sqnlca7gm4
– Chicago Bulls (@Chicagobulls) February 14, 2025
Yves Missi joins Julian Strawther as the second injury replacement on the Roster. The squad of seven players also contains the Thompson Twins (Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson), Wizards teammates Carlton Carrington and Bilal Coulibaly and trail blazers ahead Toumani Camara.
The 2025 Castrol Rising Stars takes place tonight in Chase Center in San Francisco. TNT will broadcast the four-team, three-game mini tournament at 9 p.m., with the champion deserving a place to play in the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday 16 February at 8 p.m. at TNT.
