In terms of draft value, there may be no better selection in this entire 2025 draft class than the one the Portland Trail Blazers made. Yang Hansen was widely projected to be a second-round pick, but Blazers general manager Joe Cronin had other plans. Portland had been heavily scouting Hansen for two years and felt confident enough in their evaluation process to make an unconventional selection, trading back to take him No. 16 overall.
The Blazers stole Yang Hansen from the rest of the league
There may be other prospects that went in Hansen's range that are better than him as a rookie. He's not going to get significant minutes behind starting center Donovan Clingan, who is reportedly in much better shape heading into his second season with aspirations of playing over 30 minutes a night.
In addition to the relative lack of minutes, Hansen will also endure growing pains of his own. The Blazers' first two preseason games exposed some of his weaknesses in terms of speed, turnovers, and foul trouble.
However, this summer Cronin emphasized that the Blazers are taking a long-term approach with their rebuilding process, despite a few surprising win-now moves they made. From that standpoint, there's no better value than Hansen in the draft.
Because of his second-round projection, many anticipated Hansen to be a project that Portland was taking on -- someone who wasn't going to yield immediate results. He quickly dispelled that notion throughout his play in the summer league, and now halfway through the preseason as well.
In Portland's recent win over the Sacramento Kings, Hansen had 16 points, four rebounds, and one assist in just 17 minutes of play. He was making an immediate impact for Portland on both ends of the court, particularly with his rim protection and floor spacing -- two traits that are essential for success as a big man in the modern NBA.
That should carry over into the regular season for the Blazers, with Billups likely making Hansen the backup center and a key part of the frontcourt rotation. Still, what separates Hansen from other prospects selected around his range is his incredibly high ceiling.
He is already making plays that few centers in the NBA are capable of. Between his ability to initiate fastbreaks, find cutters, and create his own shot through crafty footwork, there is certainly some Alperen Sengun in his game. The fact that Hansen can already draw comparisons to an All-Star means the rest of the league should be kicking themselves for letting Portland get away with such a steal.
The Blazers have done well, but not great, in the draft throughout their rebuild. But Hansen could be the home run pick they've been missing to get them back into contention.