The most promising NBA prospect to come out of China since Yao Ming, or another disappointment like Yi Jianlian and Zhou Qi? Yang Hansen divides opinion both at home and abroad.
From those who see him as a potential top 40 prospect in this year’s NBA draft, to those who worry that his game will not translate to the higher level, Yang is either a shoo-in or a risk not worth taking.
But who is the 19-year-old phenom, who has dominated the Chinese Basketball Association since his breakthrough with Qingdao Eagles, and will he get a spot in the league on his 20th birthday on June 26 – when the draft takes place at Barclays Centre in Brooklyn.
Who is Yang Hansen?
Born in Shandong, on June 26, 2005, Yang’s father Yang Lin – himself reportedly a decent amateur basketball player – always took his son to play outdoors, something that a young Yang did not always appreciate. He eventually began to pick up the sport when he was at primary school and then showed enough promise to receive regular training.
While studying at Zibo Sports School in Shandong, Yang was spotted by the Qingdao men’s youth team head coach when he was playing in an interschool competition. Qingdao beat the other teams to sign Yang to the roster in 2021.
Yang Hansen (left) was selected into the national team players’ pool after a few under-17 seasons. Photo: Xinhua
In June 2021, Yang averaged 19.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks when playing for Qingdao in the National Under-17 League. Qingdao were crowned the overall champion while Yang was named the best defensive player. Yang was assigned to Qingdao men’s first team, before making the team in 2022.