To begin with a disclaimer: I haven't been quiet about Yang Hansen. But whether it was the Blazers boldly drafting him way ahead of where he was mocked or his incredible highlight reel from Summer League, Yang has made headlines basically since he popped up on NBA scouts' radars.
And with the preseason well underway, those wondering if Yang's Summer League play was just a flash in the pan would do well to pipe down thus far. Granted, Yang's debut was nothing to write home about (21 minutes, 4/1/4, fouled out), but he came alive the very next game against Sacramento. In just 17 minutes of action, Yang put up 16 points on 62.5 percent shooting (2-of-3 from beyond the arc), to go with two offensive boards and three blocks. The fouling issues remained (5), but the rookie bounced back in spectacular fashion, and likely earned real rotation minutes in a single night. And just like his stint in Summer League, Yang's stat line only tells part of the story -- his highlights can speak for its other half.
Yang Hansen is making many scouts look very stupid
The issues with Yang are easy to pick out as his NBA career begins. You don't even need to look at his tape nor stats (11 fouls over two preseason games) to do so. Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups has done the best job of summing up Yang's young career thus far when breaking down his performance during training camp:
"He did a good job. He worked really hard. I thought offensively, he set some pretty good screens. Some playmaking ability is out there, but the game is moving really fast. He's not used to the speed of our game yet. But his feel is really high, his IQ is really high, so he doesn't look 'out of sorts' if you will ..."
And Billups is correct! Yang will need to adjust to the speed of the NBA, such is the theme of many young players from overseas. But Yang certainly doesn't look like the second rounder he was projected to be. He's looked exactly like the two-time All-Star from Qingdao that's learning to play a new style -- and for a supposed project, Yang's tool kit is incredibly mature for a player his size.
But the excitement around Yang is more than that. Dave Deckard of Blazer's Edge noted that two areas of improvement in Yang's current game are his penchant for turnovers and fouls. And he's right on both counts, as Yang led the Blazers in both stats in both of their preseason games thus far, either on his own or with one or two others on the roster. But Deckard also notes that these are also good signs of a young player that is aggressively trying to put their stamp on a game, and who is willing to make the mistakes to do so while also learning and growing. Hansen isn't timid, he isn't quiet, and, evidenced by his three blocks against the Kings, wants to humiliate his opponent.
In a league like the NBA, that killer instinct, more than his guard-like face-up skills and unique vision (seriously, he might be the actual best pound-for-pound passer in the 2025 rookie class), should be the true foreshadowing of Yang Hansen's eventual rise to stardom.
And in China, where Yang's Summer League outings outshined the NBA Finals in TV ratings, he might already be there.