United States: Basketball Lion, Yves Missi, suffers season-threatening injury.

The Basketball Lions centre picked up the left knee contusion and bone bruise during his team, the New Orlean Pelicans’ 120-119points loss to the Utah Jazz.

The injury came after Utah Jazz’s Zion Williamson fell on the Cameroonian’s left leg midway into the fixture after colliding with other players. 

“The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that center Yves Missi has been diagnosed with a left knee bone bruise. An MRI confirmed the injury, which occurred as a result of a left knee hyperextension during the second quarter of last night’s game against the Utah Jazz,” the club said in a statement on Saturday confirming the injury. 

It remains unclear whether Missi will be sidelined for a long period as a result of the injury setback as New Orleans Pelicans is yet to provide additional details on the setback. 

But in a post on his verified Facebook page on Saturday, the youngster sounded highly positive when he wrote that he “will be right back.” 

The injury is expected to serve as a major blow for both Missi and the New Orleans Pelicans. 

Missi is regarded as one of the Pelicans’ key players this season as openly highlighted by the team’s head coach Jamahl Mosley days to the start of the new season. 

The Cameroonian matched the billing with his performances for the club in the first two matchdays of the NBA campaign.

The youngster contributed 13points, 14 rebounds and five assists after playing 30 minutes in the club’s opening match of the season last Thursday against the Indiana Pacers of fellow Cameroonian basketball star Pascal Siakam. 

Before picking up the injury on Saturday, the young centre had contributed six points and registered a rebound after playing nine minutes for the Pelicans in the match.

In its first full match without the Cameroonian, the Pelicans who are without a victory three matchdays into the season, registered their biggest defeat of the season yet. 

The outfit was blown away 141-135points by the Denver Nuggets yesterday. 

Following the loss, the Pelicans are now ranked 14th on the classification table of the 15-club Western Conference of the championship. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3951 of Monday October 26, 2026