The 16th overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft was Yang Hansen, who played for the Qingdao Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association, located in Qingdao, Shandong, China (青岛市, 山东,中國). Yang went to the Portland Trail Blazers via the Memphis Grizzlies. It wasn’t surprising that he was selected, but it was surprising he went as high as he did. He was thought of being a more likely early second round selection. Yang made the decision to show up on draft night anyways and was rewarded for doing so. What I want to do is take a look at what he might bring to the Trail Blazers organization and the impact that he can make on the court.
Listed at 7’1″, 260 pounds, Yang is coming off a strong season with the Qingdao Eagles, guiding them to an 8th place finish and first round playoff best-of-three series victory (12 playoff teams). Yang averaged a double-double with his 16.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.6 blocks per game. He was a tremendous force inside, doing a nice job of scoring both inside and out while also protecting the rim.
During NBA Summer League, Yang has averaged 10.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game. He’s made an impact right away and held his own against some of the best young players in the NBA. He has shot 33.3% from 3-point range on 12 attempts, 45.7% from the field, and most impressively 87.5% from the foul line. He shot 67.1% from the foul line with the Eagles last season, so it looks like he’s improved his foul shooting this summer. Though given it was on just eight attempts, the sample size is still pretty small.
When watching his tape, what stands out about Yang is how poised he is on the court. He does a good job of gathering himself with his shot while also seeing the floor well, making the right pass to a cutting teammate. He also runs the floor well and is able to make plays in transition. There’s a lot to like with his game given how well-rounded he is. He can score both inside and out while also knocking down his free throws. On defense, he protects the rim and has proven to be a big body that is tough to score on.
Overall, I think Yang Hansen has all the tools to be an effective player in the NBA. It might take a bit of time for him to adjust to the NBA game and level of play, but if he keeps growing his game, there’s no reason to think the 20 year old can’t end up being a cornerstone piece for the Trail Blazers for years to come.
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