Despite being the No. 16 overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft, Portland Trail Blazers rookie Yang Hansen was one of the most highlighted rookies in the entire class. As a relatively unknown prospect coming over from the CBA, there was so much hype and excitement surrounding how Hansen would fare in the NBA. After all, he was projected to be a second-round pick, and the Blazers' front office clearly believed they saw something special in him after scouting him heavily for two years to take the gamble on an unconventional selection.
Hansen even appeared to have justified the "reach" by showcasing his upside throughout summer league, averaging 10.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. But unfortunately, that success has not translated to the regular season, to put it gently.
The Yang train is slowing down
Heading into 2025-26, Hansen was projected to be the primary backup center to spell Donovan Clingan. Instead, he's fallen completely out of the rotation, failing to earn the trust of interim head coach Tiago Splitter, who doesn't want to "throw him into the fire."
That has resulted in just 17 games played for Portland's rookie. He's averaging 8.2 minutes, 2.6 points, and 1.9 rebounds per game while shooting an inefficient 30% from the field and 14.3% from beyond the arc.
The speed of the game is the biggest contributing factor to Hansen's growing pains, adjusting from the CBA to the NBA. His upside lies in his unique skill set as a 7-foot-1 playmaking big man who anticipates plays with elite basketball IQ and looks over the top of defenses to find cutters. However, with how far down Hansen currently is on Portland's depth chart, he's rarely put in those positions to be an offensive hub.
He needs to figure out how to better adapt his game to provide value as a role player who doesn't frequently have the ball in his hands, whether that's through his floor spacing, rebounding, or rim protection.
At just 20 years old, it's too early to declare this project a bust. But the experiment is certainly trending downwards, giving Blazers fans a growing sense of uncertainty or frustration as picks around Portland's draft range have already panned out.
The spotlight isn't dying down in China anytime soon, as many will be closely following Hansen throughout the entirety of his career. But in terms of the media spotlight and national attention in the United States, Hansen's hype may have already peaked this past summer.