Portland’s Yang Hansen Pick Shocks NBA Draft
By Romen Basu Borsellino | 26 Jun, 2025

The Chinese-born center was drafted 16th overall by the Trailblazers despite the widespread expectation that he would be picked midway through the second round.

Shocking, intriguing, baffling, head-scratching.

Those were just some of the words used by basketball commentators to describe the Portland Trail Blazers’ decision to draft Chinese center Yang Hansen midway through the first round of last night’s 2025 NBA draft.

Perhaps nobody was as surprised by the Blazers' use of their 16th overall pick as Yang himself, who was expected to be selected half-way through the second round. Yang’s surprise might explain why the 7 foot 2 inch, 252 pound player wasn’t seated particularly close to the stage that he would eventually make his way up to for a picture with NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

The pick is under scrutiny largely because the Trailblazers were not in need of a center. They now have four. 

While nobody seems to doubt Yang’s talent, he is seen as more of a long-term prospect who may need some time to develop. For comparison, Cooper Flagg, the number one overall pick who spent a year playing under the intense scrutiny of Duke University’s Basketball program, will likely need less time before he is ready to start. 

Yang, who turns 20 today, has spent the past two years playing in the Chinese Basketball Association, where he has been named a two-time all-star, a two-time domestic first team player, the 2024 rookie of the year, and the 2024 defensive player of the year.  But of course, the CBA is no NBA. 

Yang was said to have had an impressive performance at the NBA combine, the mandatory showcase for any player who wishes to enter the draft, which likely contributed to his unexpectedly early pick.

Following last night's draft, internet users have begun jokingly referring to Yang as “Chinese Jokic,” a comparison to Denver Nuggets' Champion Nicola Jokic, who is known for his size and lack of quickness. The nickname is generally a compliment, but perhaps accompanied by a dig at Yang’s speed (some pointed out that Yang’s highlight reel includes dunks, which Jokic cannot pull off).  Whether accurate or not, it is at least refreshing to hear a Chinese player compared to someone other than Jeremy Lin and Yao Ming. 

Despite the speculation, it is of course important to remember that one’s draft order is not always commensurate with their performance. Jokic was picked 41st in the second round of the 2014 draft, despite going on to be the top-ranked player in the NBA. Alternatively, Zion Williamson, like fellow Duke alum Cooper Flagg, received the top draft pick in 2019, but has struggled to be considered a top-50 player. 

The ball is now in Yang's court to prove his skeptics wrong.