Portland Trail Blazers rookie Yang Hansen has struggled throughout his first season in the NBA.
Yang has not earned a spot in the rotation despite being the No. 16 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Yang needs minutes to develop, which he gets in the G League from time to time with the Rip City Remix, but not enough to see a true step forward. Blazers general manager Joe Cronin recently spoke about Yang’s rookie year and how the team is moving him along.
“Like many rookie seasons for guys, it’s been up and down for him. And he’s still definitely trying to find his stride, but we’ve really enjoyed having him in our building. Hansen has such a terrific attitude and spirit about him. He lights up a room. And now our challenge is getting him to be the best player that he can be. We’re working on that,” Cronin said in an interview with Robert Ohman and Aaron Mesh of the Willamette Week.
Blazers Bringing Along Yang Slowly