PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — With the 16th pick in last night’s first round of the NBA Draft presented by State Farm, the Portland Trail Blazers selected Yang Hansen from China.
The move left a lot of people scratching their heads, asking, “Who is that?”
Trail Blazers General Manager Joe Cronin called Hansen a “unique talent.”
“High, high-end skill set. His ability to pass, his basketball IQ, his functionality in the post, his ability to step out, we think he’ll, you know, be a good free throw shooter, we think he’ll make perimeter jump shots as well,” Cronin stated. “Defensively, he’s a really smart player that, you know, can be pretty versatile in the post with his, size and IQ.”
While Cronin and the Blazers are all in on the pick, those around the NBA aren’t as enthusiastic.
Draft grades have come from writers and publications that cover the NBA, ranging from C+ to F.
Zach Buckley, Bleacher Report: D-Kevin O’Connor, Yahoo! Sports: C+Kurt Helin, NBC Sports: D-J. Kyle Mann, The Ringer: DBrett Siegel, ClutchPoints: F
John Hollinger from The Athletic posted, “I’m sorry WHAT???!?!?!?! Nobody had Yang as a first-rounder. Literally nobody. He’s big and fairly skilled, and I think he’s potentially a solid backup because of his offense, but this is a serious reach by the Blazers on a player most expected to last well into the second round.”
What do you think of the Blazers’ draft pick?
The Blazers will introduce Hansen on Friday morning during a press conference. KATU.com will carry that press conference live.