Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Yang Hansen stands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the 16th pick by the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Why Blazers Rookie Yang Hansen Could Play a Major Role This Season

Originally posted on Portland Trail Blazers on SI
By Jason Fray | Last updated Sep 7, 2025 11:59 AM ET

Portland surprised more than a handful of people when drafting center Yang Hansen out of China with the 16th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Hansen was projected to be selected... but not until the second round. The Trail Blazers not only took him far earlier than most expected, but it marked the second straight year in which the team drafted a center in the first round. The year before, University of Connecticut big man Donovan Clingan went No. 7 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft to Portland.

Yang Hansen explains how he discovered basketball

(Via WaPo’s @BenGolliver) pic.twitter.com/y9iCPNpMqh
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 26, 2025

With Deandre Ayton now in Los Angeles and Robert Williams virtually never staying healthy, Clingan is the heavy favorite entrenched as the starting center. What does that probability mean for Hansen and his prospects at playing time this season?

Portland figures to be an above-average defensive team. There's even a world where the Blazers are an elite defensive bunch. Between Clingan, Jrue Holiday, and Toumani Camara, you've got three players who all have been/could be All NBA Defensive selections.

The offensive end of the floor — particularly off the bench — is another story. The team may struggle to manufacture points. While the trade-off getting Holiday for Anfernee Simons upgrades the defense, Holiday at this stage in his career isn't the caliber of offensive player he's replacing.

Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe are still finding themselves as consistent NBA players. Deni Avdija is coming off a very good season — though there's no guarantee he'll replicate it given his lack of a track record.

Hansen Yang is the greatest basketball player to ever live
pic.twitter.com/hDkOjdxyiL
— Ryan Hammer (@ryanhammer09) July 12, 2025

While Hansen isn't Clingan on the defensive end of the floor, he's a very skilled offensive player. As the clip shows above, there's some Nikola Jokic to his game as a terrific passer with amazing feel for the game as well as touch around the rim. He won't win any athletic contests — though Hansen's basketball I.Q. has impressed a ton of people thus far in Rip City.

Hansen could very well be a guy thrown in for 10-15 mintues a night with the sole purpose of providing the Blazers with some bench scoring.

Hansen Yang on some of his interests:

“I sleep…I play PS5. I like to eat.”

(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)

pic.twitter.com/wa9eBLyhaK
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 27, 2025

The team is much deeper than the casual basketball fan could care to admit. Should Henderson and Sharpe take the next steps in their progressions, this team could very easily contend for a playoff spot.

With the center spot behind Clingan essentially Hansen's to lose, he could very well become a core fixture off the bench from the get-go. Without a doubt, his minutes on the court — if the summer is any indication — will be must-see TV.