DENVER (KDVR) — The culmination of one of the biggest stories around the NBA currently began on draft night, when the Portland Trailblazers made an unexpected pick in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft.
The Trailblazers selected Yang Hansen from China with the No. 16 pick in the draft, with many scouts predicting Hansen would go in the second round, nearly 20 to 30 spots later.
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The Denver Nuggets know a thing or two about drafting in that range of the second round of the draft, finding superstar Nikola Jokić with the No. 41 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, and if comparisons of Hansen to Jokić hold some truth to them, the Trailblazers were smart to snap up the foreign prospect earlier than he was intended to go.
The decision left some fans and scouts scratching their heads. Hansen’s NBA Summer League debut was one that people were keeping an eye on.
It wouldn’t take long for Hansen to showcase why the Trailblazers were so high on the 7’1″ center.
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In his first game, he put up statistics, including:
Those stats might not jump off the page, but it was in the way that they were achieved that showed off his tantalizing skill set.
Hansen offered a little bit of everything, scoring-wise: nailing a banked three-pointer and showcasing some post moves, while also providing some stout defense, but it was his passing that showed flashes of Jokić.
He demonstrated a delicate touch, a high IQ understanding of the game and a bit of flair with his five assists.
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The Jokić-esque play might stem from his idolization of the Serbian center, and in an interview after the game, when questioned about what he may ask Jokić in their first meeting next season, Hansen informed his translator, who responded, “Picture? Signature, please?”
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Hansen has gone viral in the NBA community, and although the NBA Summer League is a small sample size of his abilities, the Jokić play style is definitely surfacing.
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