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The Portland Trail Blazer In a trade in the Memphis Grizzlies, Yang Hansen acquired the draft for the 7-foot 1 center Yang Hansen from China from China, and he is looking for an immediate influence.
The 20-year-old Yang is relatively unknown to the basketball fans of Fair-Weather basketball. He played basketball in China Since he was in primary school and finally went on the way to the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and played for the Qingdao Eagles.
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Yang Hansen, No. 16 of the Portland Trail Blazers, posed on July 16, 2025 in Las Vegas during the NBA -Rookie photo photo shoot from 2025 at UNLV. (Harry like/Getty Pictures)
He was CBA All-Star in 2024 and 2025 and appointed the defensive player in 2024 of the year before he was raised in NBA circles. It will be an integral part of the Trail Blazers under head coach Chauncey Billups.
Yang, whose father Yang Lin was a professional basketball player, opened up why he decided to play in an interview with basketball The Washington Post. He told the newspaper that at the age of 8 he should give up sports when he refused to practice outside in the heat. His father asked him to work hard on something that could help him go to college. According to the report, Yang tried several splotts before returning to basketball.
“I wasn’t that good at school and was a bit like a fat boy,” he told the Washington Post. “My father told me that I should try sports, find out what you want to do and lose some weight. My father told me: ‘Don’t be fat.'”
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Yang Hansen, right, welcomes the NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, after selecting in the first round of the NBA design of 2025 in the Barclays Center in Brookly, New York, on June 25, 2025, when the 16th selection of the Memphis Grizzlies. (Brad Penner-Mimagn pictures)
Yang will be the ninth Chinese NBA player when he finally takes the ground for Portland. He will follow in the footsteps of the legendary Yao Ming and former star Yi Jianlian.
Cui Yongxi is the only other active Chinese player. He played five games for the Brooklyn Nets Last season, but his year was canceled when he tore his ACL in a g league game.
Yang recognized the pressure that comes from China and will play in the NBA.
“There is certainly a lot of pressure,” he told the newspaper. “I just want to show the people in China that I am fine. Before I went to the States, Yao called me and shared some of his experiences. He told me that I should enjoy your food, enjoy your drinks, enjoy your sleep and enjoy everything.
Yang Hansen goes on the stage after selecting in the first round of the NBA design of 2025 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on June 25, 2025 as the 16th election of the Memphis Grizzlies. (Brad Penner-Mimagn pictures)
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“Yao is the icon for Chinese basketball. He is something special. I am just a newcomer. I can feel a lot of expectations and anticipation for me. Yao is number one in paradise. Compared to him, I am cold ash in a pot.”
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