Why The Blazers Are Risking Everything For Yang Hansen

Why The Blazers Are Risking Everything For Yang Hansen

Back in 2013, a team in Spain’s top basketball division had an insightful sporting director. This sporting director discovered a skinny teenager from Greece’s second division, averaging around nine points and five rebounds per game. That kid’s name, Giannis Antmpo. Within days, that signing sent ripples across the global basketball community. But Giannis didn’t play a game for this Spanish team because soon after the Milwaukee Bucks made their move, selecting Giannis Antmpo with the 15th pick in the 2013 NBA draft. A selection that didn’t just change their franchise. It redefined what was possible on draft night. As time progresses, it feels as if NBA front offices are realizing more and more that talent could be found everywhere, often hiding in plain sight. Another story was brewing in 2015 2016. Selected fourth overall by the Knicks in 2015, Chris’s Porzingis, dubbed the unicorn for his blend of height and skill, didn’t just exceed expectations, he shattered them. With a game that combined silky perimeter shooting, guard-like ball handling, and elite shot blocking, Porzingis helped to redefine how the league viewed big men. Naturally, in a copycat league like the NBA, every GM wanted their own mythical star, sparking the hunt for the next Porzingis. This craze helped out Dragon Bender a ton. Another towering European prospect with an enticing combination of passing, shooting, and upside. He went fourth overall in 2016. Unfortunately for Phoenix, the Dragon Bender experiment fizzled out, becoming an infamous misstep just as the Suns unknowingly began shifting into their Devon Booker era, an era that they have spent a lot of money and assets investing in. All I can say is congrats because that contract that Book just got is outrageous. Sometimes when you swing for greatness in the NBA draft, you land an Alper and Shingon. Other times, you might get stuck with the Dragon Bender. And that’s the beauty of the NBA draft. I named Operin Shingon right there because he’s one of the poster boys for the NBA’s newest obsession. Big men who can orchestrate the offense like oversized point guards, easily dishing out highlight reel passes. And we owe this wave of playmaking bigs to Nicole Joic and Demarcus Cousins. It’s pretty ironic that just as traditional point guards fade away from prominence, the league’s tallest guys are stepping up and saying that we got this. Take Nicole Joic and Demarcus Cousins out of NBA history. And Portland’s approach in the 2025 NBA draft likely takes a totally different turn. In case you haven’t been tuned in, the Trailblazers pulled a stunner on draft night by rolling the dice on Yang Hansen, selecting him about 20 picks higher than anyone predicted. 11th pick, but they knew that their guy would be available a little later. So, Joe Cronin did what any shrewd GM would do. He took advantage of another team’s draft night desperation to move up. Trading back just five spots, he picked up an extra firstrounder and two second rounders in the process. Plenty of critics labeled Young Hansen going at 16 a massive reach. After all, ESPN projected him falling all the way to Brooklyn at 36, and NBA Draft.net saw him at 34, bound for New Orleans via Charlotte’s pick. But for Portland, drafting Young wasn’t just about taking a swing. It felt like hitting the jackpot. They confidently threw the consensus out of the window, placing their bet firmly on Yang’s untapped potential. Love it or hate it, the Blazers made one thing crystal clear on draft night. They were drafting by their own rules. When I say that Young being drafted so high caught everyone completely offguard, it really did. Even the NBA, the league didn’t even think to reserve him a green room seat, leaving Young casually kicking back with the fans in the stands on draft night. One moment he’s just another 7-1 guy soaking in the draft night atmosphere. The next, his name blasts through the arena speakers, and you’re watching somebody that you could have literally been talking to make their way to the podium. Look at Young make his way down to the stage. That’s an alltime draft moment right there. It might not top Nicole Yokic getting drafted while Taco Bell was slinging quesadillas on TV, but trust me, once Yang starts balling out, this story is going to hit legendary status and no one’s letting you forget about it. The Blazers had so much faith in Young Hansen that just one year after spending a lottery pick on another center, they didn’t hesitate to double down. In fact, they were so committed to his development that they willingly shelled out over $25 million just to clear the runway, removing a player whose presence could have cluttered the locker room and slowed their new centerpiec’s growth. If that’s not betting big, then I don’t know what is. Bleacher Report slammed this pick, giving it a D minus and calling it a massive reach. The Sports Illustrated gave Portland a C++ draft grade, basically saying that you guys better know what you’re doing here. The Blazers belief in Young and their bold approach might seem wild at first glance. But once you realize how special that his talent is, it all makes sense. Whether you call him Young Hansen or Hansen Yong, one thing remains clear. He’s an NBA player whose height alone demands attention. Standing barefoot at a towering 71, he’s taller than Anthony Davis who is 610, Joel Embiid, who is 7 ft and even surpasses his final evolution, Nicola Joic, who is 6’11 and 1/2. He also has a wingspan that stretches to 72 and 3/4. And although that might seem modest given his immense height, when you’re already 71 and tipping the scales at 260, asking for anything more might just be greedy. But measurements alone are one thing because measurements can’t put the ball in the basket. It’s what Yang does with those physical gifts that truly sets him apart from others that are his size. The reason that I called Nicola Joic Yong Hansen’s final evolution earlier is simple. Although Hansen isn’t Joic yet, his unmistakable love for the game, unselfishness, and versatile skill set reflect Joic’s style in ways that are impossible to ignore. Here’s Yong at the NBA draft combine, threading a gorgeous pass to a cutter for an effortless layup. On first glance, this play might not leap off of the screen, but when you slow it down and appreciate the little things, you realize just how special this moment was from the 7-2 Maestro. He catches the ball at the top of the ark, immediately drawing his defender tight due to his shooting threat and his ability to execute a perfect dribble handoff. He calmly fakes the dribble handoff once, sells it again beautifully, and then from an impossibly tight angle, slips a crafty wraparound pass around two defenders to gift wrap an easy bucket for his teammate. Young could have launched this shot himself. A lot of players in the NBA would have, but like Nicole Joic famously said, assists make two people happy. Points just make one person happy. Plus, a layup is always a safer bet than a jump shot. smart basketball and exceptional decision-making from Young. Now, check out this dime from him. I’ve been hyping up his Jokiclike tendencies, but forget about Joic for a second because this pass screams Magic Johnson to me. I mean, come on. A 7-1 center casually takes one dribble and then lasers a pinpoint missile from half court. Stop it. His passing is ridiculous. They aren’t calling this man baby Joic and the Chinese Jokic for no reason. Combining that elite level passing with relentless rebounding and a bottomless bag of creative post moves feels borderline unfair. It’s as if he got the difficulty sliders turned all the way down. But that’s just the brutal reality defenders in the CBA had to face whenever Yang Hansen laced them up. Hansen left his mark in the Chinese Basketball Association, carving out a reputation as a true game changer. Admittedly, the CBA isn’t quite at the level of the NBA. Its best squad likely wouldn’t hold up to the NBA’s worst, but then again, that’s almost an impossible standard to meet. Still, the league has featured some extraordinary NBA talent, counting names like Jimmer Fet, Gilbert Arenus, Tracy McGrady, Jeremy Lynn, Metal World Peace, and the towering legend himself, Yao Ming. At the end of the day, Yang was still going up against pros, people who were trying to feed their families. And not only has he managed to survive in that world, he managed to go from a relative unknown in America to being worth the 16th pick in this year’s draft. Unlike dominating DeAndre Aton in the NBA, he actually dominated this league and did so starting at just 18 years old. In his rookie season in the CBA, he averaged a smooth 15 points per game on a hyperefficient 55% from the floor. He also dominated the glass, grabbing 10.8 eight rebounds, dished out nearly four assists per night, and terrorized opponents defensively with 2.2 blocks per contest. But let’s be clear, Young wasn’t satisfied with just rookie of the year honors. He took it a step further, defying basketball logic by snagging defensive player of the year, too. This is the same thing that Victor Wimyama should have done his rookie season in the NBA. But for some reason, Victor got overlooked. Young was also an all-star starter and clinched the spot on the all domestic first team, marking him clearly as one of the league’s top five domestic talents. All in just his rookie year. In year two, the honors just kept piling up. Another all-star nod and yet another selection to the all CBA domestic first team, reaffirming his status as one of the league’s elite. Numbers-wise, he elevated his game, averaging a crisp 16.6 six points, snatching 10.5 rebounds, dishing out three assists, and swatting away 2.6 shots per night, all while shooting 58.6% from the field, and flashing potential from deep at 33.3%. So, if Yang Hansen was this talented and showcased elite level skills throughout two impressive seasons with the Shindow Eagles, why wasn’t he a lock as a top 10 pick? According to NBA.net, net. Scouts consistently pointed to his athleticism or perceived lack thereof as the primary concern. They didn’t pull any punches when describing his weaknesses, saying that he has minimal burst and stiff hips. Basically, teams in the NBA weren’t convinced that Young’s defensive dominance in the CBA would translate seamlessly to the NBA, where quickness and switchability are at a premium. Interestingly, when you dive deeper into the combine numbers, Yang surprises. His lane agility and 3/4 sprint times were admittedly underwhelming, ranking closer to the bottom than the top for prospects. But let’s remember, this is a 7 foot one giant that we’re talking about. His shuttle run, that’s where he blew minds. With a shuttle time of 3.01, 01. He surprisingly tested faster than the explosive second overall pick, Dylan Harper. He also tested faster than another lottery guard, Jeremiah Fears. Fears is widely regarded as the shiftiest playmaker from this past draft. Beating him in a quickness drill is no small feat. While Young might never morph into an elite perimeter stopper, his surprising quickness for his size, combined with excellent positioning and sky-high basketball IQ, suggests that he could absolutely follow Nicola Joic’s blueprint and become an impactful NBA defender. Joic proves night in and night out that you don’t need elite athleticism to excel defensively at the highest level. IQ and anticipation go a long way. I’ve seen elite athletes beat terrible defenders. I’m talking about guys that you don’t even want on the floor. I know that you guys know a few. Mark Gasol. He won defensive player of the year precisely because of intelligence and positioning, not overwhelming athleticism. Elite defense isn’t always about being a Kawhi Leonard or a Ben Wallace level athlete. Effort, IQ, and team dynamics matter tremendously. Brook Lopez is a great defender, but if you ask the guy to constantly switch on to guards on the perimeter, then he’s going to look terrible. Speaking of fit, Young is entering a Trailblazer squad loaded with defensive talent. Drew Holiday, Tumani, Kamar, Matise Thybel, absolute menaces on defense. Imagine a lineup featuring Young, Donovan Klingan, Holiday, Kamar, and maybe Shaden Sharp for some offense. That’s pure chaos on both ends of the floor. I can’t speak for everybody, but that’s a lineup that sounds pretty good to me. In the comments below, let me know what you guys think of everything. Do you guys think that the Blazers reached? Was this a good pick? Let me know in the comments below. Anyways, there’s some more going on in the basketball world that we have to be covering. So clicking one of the videos that’s on the screen right now is a great way to support this channel and get like coupe bringing you guys the scoop until our next upload. [Music]

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