The Portland Path Blazers aren’t ok to be drafting for match, and that’s why the group chosen Chinese language huge man Yang Hansen within the first-round of the 2025 NBA Draft one yr after taking one other heart, Donovan Clingan, within the lottery. The Blazers had been extensively panned for “reaching” for Hansen, a projected second spherical decide, at No. 16 general, together with by me at this website. Effectively, after watching him at Las Vegas Summer time League and early within the NBA preseason, I can already see the imaginative and prescient of Portland’s entrance workplace.
Hansen performed his second preseason recreation on Friday night time, and it was electrical. Because the Path Blazers beat the Kings, 124-123, Hansen seemed like the very best participant on the ground throughout his 17 minutes of enjoying time. He ended the night time with 16 factors, 4 rebounds, three blocks, and an help on 5-of-8 capturing from the ground, 2-of-3 capturing from three, and 4-of-4 capturing from the foul line. Portland out-scored Sacramento by 9 factors when he was on the ground.
The numbers are glorious, but in addition don’t actually matter as a result of it’s simply preseason. What’s extra encouraging is simply how snug the rookie huge man seemed on the ground, displaying a candy capturing stroke, some creation capacity off the dribble, and legit rim safety. Watch the highlights right here:
Hansen was referred to as “the Chinese language Jokic” coming into the draft, and that’s ridiculous. I really feel horrible for placing it on this headline, however that’s the sport with regards to free-to-read web sports activities articles. A disclaimer: No younger basketball participant ought to ever be in comparison with Nikola Jokic. The Denver Nuggets celebrity has been the very best participant on this planet for the final 5 years, and he’s displaying no indicators of slowing down at 30 years outdated. Jokic goes down as a top-10 participant all-time when it’s stated and executed, and he’s going to pressure some actually uncomfortable conversations about his place vs. your childhood favorites.
With that disclaimer out of the way in which, Hansen does share some similarities with Jokic, simply not by way of his all-around influence. He’s a bit slow-footed at 7’1, 260 kilos, however he performs at his personal velocity and infrequently seems to be rushed. This pump-and-go drive is a good instance: there’s the behind-the-back dribble, the spin transfer, and the power to leverage his energy and size to get near the basket earlier than ending with delicate contact.
That’s a reasonably transfer, and it’s particularly efficient if he can hold ripping the nets from three-point vary as he did on Friday.
It’s exhausting to say how impactful Hansen might be as a rookie. He’s doubtless going to wrestle with fouls — he had 5 fouls in 17 minutes on this recreation! He may have turnover points too as he tries some daring passes, and he had three on this recreation. I additionally assume faster guards are going to have the ability to roast Hansen within the pick-and-roll as he tries to stand up to the extent of the display screen. He doesn’t have a lot protection versatility defensively, trying principally like a drop-style huge thus far, and that may cap his worth some.
Groups spent the pre-draft course of asking about what Hansen couldn’t do. The Blazers are a believer in what he can do, and generally that’s all a younger participant wants. I don’t know if Hansen and Clingan can play collectively, however two huge pairings are all the trend across the league proper now, so perhaps it’s not that loopy.
One factor is for positive: it’s going to be superior to look at Hansen attempt to determine his place within the league no matter how impactful he finally ends up being. This appears like one of many higher tales going within the NBA proper now. Get on board early.
