How GOOD Is Yang Hansen Actually?

How GOOD Is Yang Hansen Actually?

With the 16th pick in the 2025 NBA draft, the Memphis Grizzly select, Yang Hansen from Zebo, China and the Ching Dao Eagles. They drafted Yang Hansen with the with the 16th pick in the NBA draft. This was a big big big time shock. I had absolutely no idea. You hadn’t been crushing film on him. Have not been crushing film on Young Hansen. 20 years old. Uh I saw was I think it was with the 16th pick in the 2025 NBA draft. The Memphis Grizzlies select Young Hunen from Zebo China and theQing Dao Eagles. Wait, what did I just say? Memphis? No, that’s wrong. It was Portland. But you know what? The fact that I almost got that wrong tells you everything you need to know about how shocking this pick was. The Portland Trailblazers just sent shock waves through the entire basketball world by selecting Hansen Young not just in the first round, but one pick outside of the lottery. And if you were watching the draft that night, you probably had the same reaction as everyone else watching. This is the wildest pick I’ve ever seen. But here’s what makes this even more incredible. We’ve all seen the immense impact of Nicola Joic who is the best player in the world today and yesterday. And when there are comparisons of a player such as Nicola Joic to an upcoming player like Hansen Young, I mean, yeah, why wasn’t he considered a lottery pick in the first place? Everyone’s surprised that he was picked so high in the draft. But good for Portland for taking the risk and being willing to develop this young prospect that has potentially Nicicolay Joic type potential. Hansen Young was sitting in the stands when he got drafted. Not in the green room, not on the coverage, but in the stands just hoping that maybe he would hear his name called. There were people who didn’t even have him projected to be drafted at all. Most people thought he was somewhere in the late30s or 40s, if he got picked at all. But here’s the thing that blows my mind. If you’re comparing someone to the best player in the world, how does that player not get lottery consideration from the start? That’s the question that should be haunting every front office that passed on him. Most mock drafts, including ESPN and the Athletic, had Hansen going somewhere in the mid30s. Nobody expected him to be near the lottery. That’s about a 20 spot jump from where he was projected. Even Hansen Young himself said this was beyond his wildest imagination. And get this, the Portland Trailblazers actually traded down just to grab him. They didn’t stumble into this pick. They actively position themselves to select Hansen Young, which tells you everything about how much they believe in his potential. Now, let’s talk about why people are calling Hansen Young the Chinese Jokic and why that comparison should have had him in lottery conversations from day one. Nicola Joic is the best player in the world today and yesterday. That’s not even debatable anymore. three-time MVP, NBA champion, the guy who revolutionized what we expect from the center position. So, when scouts are comparing a 20-year-old from China to that level of player, maybe we should have been paying more attention. Take a look at Hansen here controlling the ball at the three-point line. The moment he spots that back door cut, he drops a perfect dime with precision and speed. Sound familiar? That’s pure Jokic DNA right there. Or this time getting the ball in the post and immediately spotting the cutter, dropping the dime over his shoulder with the kind of court vision that makes you do a double take. The processing speed, the hands, the vision. You can see those Jokic traits with Hansen Young. Here’s another play where he gets the ball around 20 feet from the basket, immediately recognizes the mismatch underneath, and throws the entry pass for the easy bucket. This isn’t just good passing for a big man. This is elite court vision, period. Look at the footage Portland released from his training day. You can see the ease at which he’s dicing up the defense with his playmaking. Then pairing that with his size, strength, and footwork to get around the rim and finish, making it look effortless. The Blazers believe he possesses super high basketball IQ, an incredible ability to execute passes, and help everyone on the floor play better. And when you’re talking about a player who can do what the best player in the world does, how is that not lotteryw worthy? [Music] Let’s talk numbers because Hansen Young wasn’t just good in the CBA. He was absolutely dominant. Coming off a breakout year, Young was putting up around 16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, three assists, 2.5 blocks, and a steal per game. But here’s the kicker. He won defensive player of the year in the CBA while averaging nearly three blocks per game. Think about that for a second. a player with Joiclike passing ability who also won defensive player of the year in his league. How does that combination not scream lottery pick? About a third of his offense came from the post last year. And while his efficiency was decent, around 0.8 points per possession, the footwork is there. For a 20-year-old showing these kinds of skills, the fact that he wasn’t in lottery conversations seems almost criminal. Now, now you might be wondering, what are Portland doing? They have four centers. DeAndre Eaton, Robert Williams III, Donovan Klingan, and now Hansen Young. But here’s what I think happened. Portland saw what everyone else missed. They recognized that if you have a player with legitimate comparisons to the best player in the world, you don’t wait around hoping he falls to you in the second round. You go get him. According to sources, the Blazers have been watching Young for over 2 years. This wasn’t a spur-ofthe- moment decision based on one workout. They saw the Jokic potential early and positioned themselves to capitalize on everyone else’s oversight. The most promising aspect if you’re high on Hansen’s potential is that he’s going to get a chance to grow. When you draft someone 16th overall with these kinds of comparisons, you’re making a statement that you believe in their ceiling. [Music] Now, Hansen’s not Joic yet. Let’s be clear about that. There’s definitely stuff he needs to work on. His defense outside of the paint is shaky, and his lateral quickness isn’t great. But remember, Joic wasn’t exactly known for his foot speed when he entered the league either. The shooting needs work, too. He shot just under 30% from deep last season on one attempt per game, and his free throw percentage isn’t great. But here’s what’s encouraging. His form actually looks solid. With the right coaching and development, he could get there. And let’s address the athleticism concerns. I think people have exaggerated how unathletic he is. Look at this play where he slides his feet, blocks the initial drive, then pushes the pace in transition, and finishes with fluidity. The mobility is there. It just needs refinement. [Music] Here’s where this pick becomes even more genius. the marketing aspect that should have made him a lottery lock from a business standpoint alone. Basketball is absolutely huge in China. The NBA claims they have over 300 million fans there. When Yao Ming was playing, Rockets games became national events in China. Hansen Young is the first Chinese player drafted in the first round since Yian Leon in 2007. There are already reports that the Blazers have become one of the most popular teams in China and his jersey is going to be a global bestseller. Chinese fans are going to be watching all the Blazers games now. And here’s the kicker. Young is represented by Rich Paul, LeBron’s agent. Rich Paul called Young the shock of the draft, but honestly, the only shocking thing is that it took until pick 16 for someone to grab a player with Jokic comparisons and access to the world’s biggest basketball market. We’ve seen this work before. When Memphis signed Yuki Kawamura, the Grizzlies exploded in popularity in Japan. When Washington drafted Rui Hachimura, they became Japan’s team overnight. But Hansen Young represents something bigger. He’s not just bringing a country. He’s bringing the biggest international market the NBA has. And he’s doing it with a legitimate superstar potential. Every team that passed on him in the lottery is going to be kicking themselves if Hansen develops into even half of what Jokic became. You know what I love about Hansen Young? In this press conference, when asked about his interests, he said, “I sleep all the time, sleep, and I like play PS5, and I like eat.” Then he added that if he wasn’t playing basketball, maybe he’d want to be a coach and draw some crazy offense for the players. That court vision mindset even extends to his thinking about coaching. This kid sees the game differently, just like Jokic does. Here’s my take. Portland didn’t just get a steal, they got the potential steel of the decade. When you have legitimate comparisons to the best player in the world, combined with access to the biggest international market in basketball, that should have been a top 10 pick, not pick 16. Everyone’s surprised that Hansen Young was picked so high, but I’m surprised he wasn’t picked higher. Good for Portland for taking the risk and being willing to develop this young prospect that has potentially Nicola Jokic type potential. We’ve all seen the immense impact of Nicola Joic, the best player in the world today and yesterday. If Hansen Young can develop into even a fraction of that impact, this pick will go down as one of the smartest moves in recent draft history. The basketball world will be watching every step of his journey. And honestly, I think we’re going to look back at this draft in 5 years and wonder how 15 teams passed on the Chinese Jokic. What do you think? Should Hansen Young have been a lottery pick from the start? Is this the steel of the draft? or did Portland see something everyone else missed? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. And if you enjoyed this breakdown, smash that like button. It really helps the channel grow. Thanks for watching and we’ll see you in the next one.

How GOOD Is Yang Hansen Actually
He might not be the next Nikola Jokic but it is super fun to watch. The international craze and buzz around him from China is so big. Imagine having an entire country cheering for you and that’s exactly what the Portland Trail Blazers just picked up in this years NBA Draft.

Yang Hansen isn’t Nikola Jokić… but he might just be the next international star the NBA didn’t see coming.

Standing at 7 feet tall with a silky jumper and surprising playmaking skills, Hansen has become a national sensation in China—and now, he’s taking his talents to the Portland Trail Blazers. The hype is real, and so is the potential.

In this video, we break down Hansen’s game, what makes him so intriguing, and whether he has what it takes to be more than just hype. From his viral highlights in China to his fit with the Blazers’ young core, this is everything you need to know about the NBA’s newest international wildcard.