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Trail Blazers rookie instantly becomes most relatable player in NBA
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. Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Trail Blazers rookie instantly becomes most relatable player in NBA

The Portland Trail Blazers surprised a lot of people when they selected Yang Hansen with the 16th overall pick in the NBA Draft after acquiring his rights from the Memphis Grizzlies, but the big man from China has wasted no time endearing himself to fans.

Hansen spent the last two seasons playing for the Qingdao Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association, so not much is known about him in the United States. One reporter tried to learn more about Hansen the person during the 7-foot-1 center's introductory news conference on Friday. The reporter asked about Hansen's interests and what he would want to do if he were not a professional basketball player.

Hansen, who is 20, gave a response that millions of high school and college kids found incredibly relatable. He said he loves to sleep, eat and play video games.

Hansen was projected to be drafted at some point in the second round, if at all. Though, one NBA reporter was told Hansen shares a similar skill set to that of Nikola Jokic.

Jokic is a three-time NBA MVP. The Denver Nuggets star is known for living a simple life off the court that includes spending a lot of time with his horses. Perhaps the Jokic comparisons are about more than just basketball for Hansen.

Steve DelVecchio

Steve is a veteran writer who has covered a variety of sports and pop culture topics for more than 15 years. In addition to Yardbarker, his work has been featured on prominent digital publications including Larry Brown Sports, MSN and FOX Sports. The UConn graduate has published more than 40,000 stories and is one of the most experienced trending news writers in the country

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