Feb. 17, 2026, 1:33 p.m. ET

Portland Trail Blazers rookie Yang Hansen recently revealed that he has received a lot of advice from Hall of Famer Yao Ming since arriving in the United States last year.

Yang was the 16th pick in the NBA draft after playing two seasons with Qingdao in the CBA, the top professional league in China. He was an All-Star and All-CBA domestic first-team selection in each season, and was the 2024 CBA Defensive Player of the Year.

There have been very few players from China drafted in the NBA, so Yang understands that what Yao says carries a lot of weight as a basketball pioneer for their country. Yang said that Yao has been a valuable resource for him throughout the season.

“Actually, he is a great, great (man) to me,” Yang said of Yao on Friday through translator Chris Liu. “He shares a lot of experience with me. If I get some confusion, I will text him. I will ask him. He’ll always give me some suggestions from his perspective.”

Yang has played sporadically this season with the Trail Blazers, averaging 2.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in 7 1/2 minutes across 34 appearances. He started for the first time on Dec. 7, totaling four points, five rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes.

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With limited minutes available, Yang has spent time in the G League, averaging 16.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, three assists and 1.4 blocks while shooting 51.7% from the field in eight games. He has registered two double-doubles, including a 14-point, 16-rebound effort on Jan. 16.

Trail Blazers interim coach Tiago Splitter has urged patience with Yang throughout the season as the 7-footer adjusts to a new game and playing style in the U.S. Since joining the team, Yang has worked daily to bridge that gap after playing in China.

“A new season, a new experience every day,” Yang said. “I know how much I’m behind everyone here, so I try to just work hard every day and get better every day.”

Yang was among seven players from the G League chosen to participate in the Rising Stars Game on Friday at NBA All-Star Weekend in Inglewood, California. He recorded 10 points and two rebounds for Team Austin in a loss against Team Melo.

The 20-year-old was grateful to suit up in the annual showcase event and compete against some of the top players in the league. He wants to continue improving and share his experience with the next wave of players, much like Yao did in the 2000s.

“I’m learning the best basketball in the world right now in the NBA,” Yang said. “I want to try to learn as much as I can and carry it back to China or Asia. There are a lot of talented kids in Asia (and) a lot of different countries. I think they will try to chase their dream and to reach the NBA. We’ll see more and more Asian players on the NBA court.”