They have battled in offseason scrimmages and one-on-one workouts. They have clashed in practices and half-court training sessions. They have spent hours in shooting competitions.
But after facing each other countless times behind the scenes as Portland Trail Blazers teammates, Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen will finally mix it up as opponents for the first time.
The young Blazers centers are playing on different teams at NBA All-Star Weekend, competing alongside the NBA’s best first-and second-year players and a team of G League standouts at the Rising Stars Challenge Friday in Inglewood, California.
“That’s a good competition — I like it,” said Blazers forward Deni Avdija, who is playing in his first All-Star game. “We see it in practice every day. And now we’re going to see it on the big stage.”
The Rising Stars games will feature 28 players split evenly into four teams, which will compete in a mini tournament Friday at Intuit Dome. Clingan is playing for Team Melo alongside other rookies and sophomores, while Yang is playing for Team Austin alongside a collection of the best G League players. The teams will play in the Rising Stars opener at 6 p.m., with the winner advancing to play in the championship game at 7:35 p.m.
“I’m excited,” Clingan said. “Me versus Han at All Star Weekend. Right, Han? Yes! I’m excited.”
Those words came earlier this week in the Blazers’ locker room as Clingan conducted a postgame interview in front of his stall. He barked out his enthusiasm in the direction of Yang, who was dressing a couple of stalls away, and the Chinese rookie couldn’t help but smile and bow his head in the direction of his teammate.
The centers have traveled drastically different paths toward All-Star Weekend.
Clingan has emerged as a building block of the Blazers’ multiyear roster rebuild in his second NBA season, developing into a durable and occasionally dominant inside force on a team competing for a spot in the play-in tournament. The 7-foot-2 center spent the months between his first and second seasons overhauling his body and fine-tuning his game to prepare for the rigors of being a starter and the results have been impressive as he’s established himself as one of the game’s best rebounders and the Blazers’ defensive anchor in the middle.
Clingan, who is averaging 11.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.4 blocks per game, leads the NBA in contested shots per game (13.0) and ranks second in the league in rebounds, offensive rebounds (4.6) and offensive rebounding percentage (14.9). He’s one of eight NBA players averaging a double-double and has snared 15 or more rebounds a league-high 10 times this season.
Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan reacts after knocking down a three-pointer during an NBA game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Moda Center on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026.Sean Meagher/The Oregonian
Along the way, Clingan has expanded his offensive ability around the basket and transformed himself into a capable three-point shooter, making 49 long-range shots this season, draining at least one in 31 different games.
Before the season, Clingan says, he quietly set a goal to earn a selection to the Rising Stars challenge, so his trip to Intuit Dome carries a little extra meaning.
“I wasn’t really expecting it, but it was something I was working for,” he said. “I obviously didn’t make it last year, so it was important and it was something that I wanted to individually achieve this year. It’s definitely something I’m proud of.”
Clingan will play with more than one teammate at Friday’s event; San Antonio second-year guard Stephon Castle, a college teammate of Clingan’s at Connecticut, will join him on Team Melo.
Yang, meanwhile, was a surprise addition to All-Star Weekend. The 7-foot-1 center from China arrived with a unique mix of fanfare and curiosity after being selected with the No. 16 overall pick of the 2025 draft and teasing his potential at NBA Summer League.
But after drawing rave reviews in training camp — and delivering one memorable performance in the preseason — Yang has had little impact with the Blazers as a rookie, averaging just 2.0 points, 1.7 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 7.7 minutes in 31 games. He’s struggled to adjust to the speed and talent of the NBA on top of learning the culture, customs and language of a new country.
But teammates have praised his work ethic behind the scenes and acting coach Tiago Splitter has touted his growth, saying that while it might not show up in games, Yang has overhauled his body and learned a new language while he becomes accustomed to the travel and routines of the NBA.
“He’s working hard — he really is,” Splitter said. “Sometimes it’s hard. You’ve been out of the rotation and then you go there for three minutes and you’ve got to (play well). I told him, ‘This is not easy. I’ve been in your position when I came to the league.’ And I was way older than him and with more experience. So it’s not an easy situation. But he’s going to grow from this, keep working and improving.”
And while some would label his rookie season a disappointment, Yang sees things differently.
“It’s a new league for me, a new pace,” he said through an interpreter. “The NBA is the best league in the world. It’s a good start for me to step up to a new league and I try to pick up everything fast, every day, to get better every day. Actually, I expected things to be worse than this. Because as a rookie, I thought I might have no minutes at all on the court. But sometimes I get a chance to play a little bit. I think that’s better than what I thought.”
If there’s one place Yang has excelled, it’s the G League. In eight games with the Rip City Remix, he’s averaging 17.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.4 blocks, solid production that earned him a spot on the Rising Stars G League team.
He said he was “very surprised” by the selection, but also excited because it is “recognition for my whole year … working and improving.”
“I will take that,” he said through an interpreter. “And I will be happy to play in front of everyone in LA.
“That’s the biggest dream for any basketball player anywhere. To step onto the All-Star court to play. I will feel really happy, just won’t believe it. I think I will feel really good.”