Damian Lillard suggests why Yang Hansen could be ideal for Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson

Damian Lillard has high praise for Yang Hansen

As Jokic becomes more and more influential, Yang is the first center to be drafted who grew up watching and idolizing him.

While Yang likely won’t end up a three-time MVP, the versatility and flash he brings is more than enough to excite both his fans and his new teammates, even if they haven’t been familiar with his game for very long.

“One of my assistants in Milwaukee, my first year, actually coached him in China,” said Lillard to Casey Holdahl. “He spoke highly of him as soon as they picked him, but I hadn’t seen much, and then watching him during Summer League, I was like, ‘This is a real player.’” 

Last season, the Blazers unveiled a new, defensive-first playstyle and mentality led by Chauncey Billups, and Yang should be able to balance the scales, providing an offensive focus for Portland to play around.

“With the way the league is now, a lot of these bigs are used as a hub to playmake and kind of facilitate the offense at times,” Lillard continued. “And he got like some swag to him too, you know, like he got some stuff to him, and I think that’s good for a rookie.”

Yang’s style should bode well for Portland’s point guards, especially Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson.

Holiday and Henderson are not true playmakers

Holiday has won two titles in recent years, topping the NBA mountain with the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics as the starting point guard, but he is not a ball-dominant facilitator.

Henderson, meanwhile, has averaged 5.2 assists per game in his first two NBA seasons, which is not horrible, but he is certainly more of a score-first player.

In Summer League, Yang posted an assist percentage of 20.4%, between Holiday and Henderson’s regular-season mark. If he can stay on that trajectory, he would rank fourth in the NBA among qualified centers, behind only Jokic, Domantas Sabonis, and Alperen Sengun.

In Boston, Holiday thrived as a kickout option for both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Henderson, meanwhile, projects to be an elite slasher.

Neither of them are the best traditional floor general, although toss in Yang and Shaedon Sharpe, and the Blazers should have no shortage of playmaking while allowing Henderson and Holiday to play their ideal roles.