One of the surprises at the 2025 NBA draft was the Portland Trail Blazers selecting Chinese Yang Hansen at No. 16 overall, a player many considered a fringe first-round prospect at best.

We're not sure how familiar the Portland Trail Blazers' front office is with the sunken San José, but they displayed a similarly dauntless mindset by selecting Yang Hansen, a 7-foot-1 center from China,

No.7 pick Jeremiah Fears and No. 13 pick Derik Queen both played major roles as for the Pelicans but No. 16 pick Yang Hansen and the Portland Trail Blazers emerged with a 93-86 victory.

Yang Hansen probably wouldn’t like the title of this story. By all accounts, the 20-year-old phenom from Zibo in the Shandong province of China is as humble as generational talents come.

Portland Trail Blazers first-round draft pick Yang Hansen has been one of the most-discussed rookies in the NBA since being selected at No. 16 overall. The 7-foot-1, 260-pound 20-year-old center from China is a relative unknown in NBA circles - and his future projections vary widely.