The Portland Trail Blazers didn't spend two years scouting Yang Hansen and shock the basketball world by selecting him with the 16th overall pick just to keep their expectations modest. With their admittedly unconventional pick comes a bold plan: Portland wants to make him the next Nikola Jokic.
That's already been apparent in Hansen's limited summer league sample size with the Blazers, as they're putting the ball in his hands and allowing him to play his game.
Here are Hansen's stats in his first four summer league games with the Blazers:
- 10 points, five assists, four rebounds, three blocks at Warriors (W)
- 10 points, five rebounds, three assists, one block vs Grizzlies (L)
- 15 points, three rebounds, two assists, two blocks at Pelicans (W)
- Eight points, eight rebounds, five assists, three blocks vs Rockets (W)
Hansen's summer league play points to Blazers' own 'Chinese Jokic'
Hansen has been the talk of the Summer League, whether it's his meme-worthy quotes, impressive stats, or the eye test that suggests Portland may have gotten away with the steal of the draft. Each game has shown different flashes of what makes him a unique talent, whether it's his footwork, touch, ability to shoot the three (4-of-12 total), and protect the paint.
However, the two unteachable things that Hansen possesses, which should give the Blazers at least a glimmer of hope that they have the next Jokic on their hands, are his combination of size and basketball IQ.
Hansen is 7-foot-1 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, which already makes him a mismatch for centers in the modern NBA. At 20 years old and coming over from the CBA, he'll only continue to get more dominant as he builds out his frame and adjusts to the physicality of the NBA.
The most impressive aspect of Hansen's game -- the one that should prevent him from becoming a bust while also giving him an incredibly high ceiling -- is how well he processes the game. Hansen is already a true floor general at the center spot, and he can call out where his teammates should be on both ends of the court. We've already seen countless backdoor passes where he essentially guides the cutter where to go with the ball.
A couple things I like from Yang Hansen early in this one. Communication and passing. Run a stagger for him, looks like it's going to a DHO. Backdoor cut is there, pass right on time. pic.twitter.com/94ggdxuOlz
— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) July 12, 2025
That elite IQ makes players like LeBron James and Jokic so hard to replicate. And while Jokic is a one-of-one talent, the Blazers should be thrilled that they may have at least a fraction of that player.
Time will tell what fraction that actually is, but so far, Portland is doing a great job of prioritizing Hansen in this summer league. His 3.75 turnovers per game are high, but the Blazers are rightfully living with the growing pains; that's something they'll have to carry over into the 2025-26 season, both in terms of gaining more clarity and unlocking his star ceiling.