The Portland Trail Blazers shocked everyone when they picked Hansen Yang in the 2025 NBA Draft. Many analysts in the basketball world expected the 7-foot-1 center from China to go undrafted. Instead, the Blazers traded their 11th pick to the Memphis Grizzlies. This got them the 16th pick they used on Yang.
Although the Blazers made a rare move, Yang isn’t just any basketball player. In the 2024/2025 Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) season, he averaged 3.0 assists, 2.6 blocks, and 10.5 rebounds per game while playing for the Qingdao Eagles. He also achieved a career-high of 16.6 points that season.
While in the CBA, Yang grabbed Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards, and was named an All-Star for two consecutive seasons. But is Hansen Yang the knight in shiny armor that the Portland Trail Blazers desperately need? Read on as we examine the facts on hand.
Tearing up the Summer League
Yang is showing that he’s no fluke, as he put up a star-studded performance at the NBA Summer League held in Las Vegas. He logged four games in the competition, achieving an average of 5.0 rebounds, 2.2 blocks, 10.8 points, and 3.8 assists per game. These stats have quickly earned Yang the nickname “Chinese Jokic”.
Regardless of the excellent show he’s put up so far, the 16th pick needs to improve his pace and sharpen up on the defence to get crucial minutes on the court when the regular NBA season starts.
The NBA season is billed to start on 21 October 2025. If you’re a fan of the Portland Trail Blazers or any other NBA franchise and can’t follow up on matches, consider following platforms like SportyTrader. Here, you’ll get real-time scores for basketball games, and if you’re a bettor, this site provides analysis that’ll help you place informed NBA-related bets.
Will Yang be a fit for the Portland Trail Blazers?
The Portland Trail Blazers’ roster for the 2025/2026 regular season is packed with talent. Revered point guard Damian Lillard is returning to the team after his stint at the Milwaukee Bucks, although he will be out the whole season rehabbing from an Achilles tear. Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday are also expected to be in the mix to protect the Blazers’ backcourt. Other names, such as Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams III, will also feature in the first team lineup.
As you might have guessed, Yang won’t become an immediate starter at the Blazers. However, as the 2025/2026 season progresses, the center will come off the bench often to help the team’s attacking moves. If he delivers as much as he’d done in the Summer League, he’ll likely become a starter sooner rather than later. Hansen Yang might be a good basketball player, but branding him the savior of the Portland Trail Blazers is a definite stretch. That said, the 20-year-old’s playing style alongside his technical and physical attributes fits the modern-day NBA. While he won’t start the season with all guns blazing, Yang could play a pivotal role as time goes on