Blazers Rookie Yang Hansen Wants to Imitate NBA MVP's Game

The Portland Trail Blazers are very excited about the possibilities that Yang Hansen has within his game. They shocked the NBA when they decided to draft him in the first round.

Hansen is someone with a lot of raw skills. He's a very good passer for a big man. He can block shots at the rim, and he's a pretty good scorer. Still, he's got a long way to go.

As he gets ready to play in his first NBA season, Hansen wants everyone to know that he is modeling his game after one of the very best the NBA has ever seen.

Trail Blazers Rookie Yang Hansen is Modeling His Game After Nikola Jokic

While introducing himself to the NBA world in a piece in The Players' Tribune, Hansen let everyone know that he is trying to emulate Nikola Jokic with how he plays, saying his youth coach turned him on to Jokic's game.

"From there, I studied Jokic. I learned everything I could from watching how he played as a big man who passed and saw the floor like a guard. (A couple of weeks ago, my manager surprised me with a signed Jokic jersey, and it is one of the greatest things I have ever received.) I modeled my game after his in every way I could."

Jokic is one of the best players to step foot on an NBA court, so it's not going to be easy for him to emulate his game to what Jokic is able to do on the court.

The Trail Blazers Are Hoping Yang Can Become a Star

In the piece, Yang also mentioned that the proper way to pronounce his name is Hansen Yang, so that is what he should be called from now on. Regardless, the Blazers think he can be a star.

They do see a little bit of Jokic in his game. The biggest thing Yang needs to work on is his foot speed. Once he gets faster, he will have a better shot at playing well at the NBA level.

Last season in China, Yang averaged 16.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, and three assists per game.

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