<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/minnesota-timberwolves/timberwolves-news-jaden-mcdaniels-posterizes-blazers-rookie-yang-hansen');   ga('set', 'title', 'Jaden McDaniels posterizes Blazers rookie Yang Hansen');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Jaden-McDaniels-vs.-Knicks.jpg"><figcaption>John Jones-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Jaden McDaniels posterizes Blazers rookie Yang Hansen</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-22T20:46:41-07:00">October 22nd, 8:46pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-22T20:46:41-07:00">October 22nd, 8:46pm</time><address><a>Lorenzo J Reyna</a>Lorenzo J Reyna is an Associate Editor covering the NFL and NCAA Football for ClutchPoints. He's equipped with past experience for both realms through his recent stops at Pro Football Network and Heavy while also writing for 247Sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Minnesota Timberwolves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>One Minnesota Timberwolves veteran handed a rookie his “Welcome to the NBA” moment Wednesday. Jaden McDaniels flat out posterized Yang Hansen in his league debut with the Portland Trail Blazers.</p><p>His viscous throw down even drew a “goodness” reaction by his own team.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">JADEN. McDANIELS. GOODNESS. <a href="https://t.co/1r7gvoEX0j">pic.twitter.com/1r7gvoEX0j</a></p><p>— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) <a href="https://twitter.com/Timberwolves/status/1981194178634596407?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>McDaniels’ right-handed throw down cut the Blazers’ lead to 46-42 in that sequence. Still, McDaniels baptizing the NBA Draft addition drew applause and immediate social media reactions.</p><p>One fan posted a Steve Harvey jaw dropped photo <a href="https://x.com/HuntersH0wl/status/1981194482151543255" rel="noopener">as their reaction</a> on X, formerly Twitter. Another fan demanded to Minnesota that they see McDaniels <a href="https://x.com/APatientXchange/status/1981194838365094153" rel="noopener">more on offense every night.</a> One last fan bluntly called it the “welcome to the NBA” moment <a href="https://x.com/nathansGworld/status/1981194617296171430" rel="noopener">as his reaction</a>.</p><h2>Will Timberwolves keep Jaden McDaniels? Dunk vs. Blazers could convince stay</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Jaden-McDaniels-vs.-Thunder.jpg"><figcaption>Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>McDaniels was facing a nebulous future in Minny.</p><p>His name floated as <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/charlotte-hornets-trade-targets-2025-26-nba-season">one of three major Charlotte Hornets trade ideas</a> one month ago. McDaniels is lauded for his defensive play, making him a potential anchor for Charlotte.</p><p>McDaniels rose as a trade contender even before the Hornets thought. Kevin Durant once drew intrigue as a Timberwolves trade candidate. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/minnesota-timberwolves/nba-rumors-timberwolves-player-currently-untouchable-kevin-durant-trade-talks">Except Minnesota was not willing to include McDaniels</a>.</p><p>The 6-foot-9 forward is signed to a five-year, $131 million extended contract, which he inked in Oct. 2023. The extension stretches to the 2028-29 season.</p><p>Perhaps the monstrous dunk in the Pacific Northwest will coax Minnesota to keep him. McDaniels delivered 10 points in 17 minutes of play before the fourth quarter arrived.</p><p>Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards dropped 25 before the fourth while Julius Randle added 15. Hansen only has two points in five minutes of action.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Jaden McDaniels posterizes Blazers rookie Yang Hansen

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-boban-marjanovic-makes-yang-hansen-prediction');   ga('set', 'title', 'Boban Marjanovic makes groundbreaking Yang Hansen prediction');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Portland-Trail-Blazers-Yang-Hansen.jpg"><figcaption>Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Boban Marjanovic makes groundbreaking Yang Hansen prediction</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-14T17:59:02-07:00">October 14th, 5:59pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-14T17:59:02-07:00">October 14th, 5:59pm</time><address><a>Zachary Howell</a>Zachary Howell is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints focusing on creating premier MLB content. He is a big fan of the Yankees, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Syracuse Orange. In his free time, he likes to be outside or read.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Portland Trail Blazers are one of many intriguing young players heading into the NBA’s regular season. After the team <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/trail-blazers-news-yang-hansen-4-word-declaration-rookie-season">picked Yang Hansen in the first round of the draft</a>, it faced questions about its long term plans. However, NBA veteran Boban Marjanovic is excited to see what the young center can do. In his opinion, Nikola Jokic and other talented centers have competition.</p><p>Hansen has shown flashes in Portland’s preseason games, showing off what made the team pick him so early in the summer. He will face some big challenges playing in the Northwest Division, though. Despite having to clash with Jokic, Chet Holmgren, and Rudy Gobert regularly in his rookie year, Hansen’s stock continues to rise as he gets ready for his first season in the NBA.</p><p>Marjanovic is impressed with Hansen’s skillset. He spoke about the rookie on NBA Today, saying that he is the <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1978186202428629417" rel="noopener">next great big man</a> who will define the position.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Boban Marjanović thinks Yang Hansen will be the next big man that makes his mark in the NBA 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/biEWREBbR3">pic.twitter.com/biEWREBbR3</a></p><p>— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1978186202428629417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“This guy, it’s amazing,” Marjanovic said. “How he moves, how he protects the ball, how he shoots…. He can basically do everything, like you want….”</p><p>Marjanovic is not the only basketball mind to have bought in on Hansen’s talent. Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups is ready to use the rookie in a variety of lineups. How he fits next to second-year pro Donovan Clingan will go a long way in determining what exactly Portland has in its young core.</p><p>The Trail Blazers are unlikely to contend for a playoff spot this season. However, the team’s long-term outlook got a lot better this offseason. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-damian-lillard-returning-portland-on-42-million-contract">Portland reunited with Damian Lillard</a> after the guard’s time with the Milwaukee Bucks came to an abrupt end. This season is all about mentoring the young players and seeing how the pieces fit together.</p><p>If Hansen is as good as Marjanovic thinks he will be, the sky’s the limit for the team’s development.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Boban Marjanovic makes groundbreaking Yang Hansen prediction

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-jrue-holiday-shouts-out-superstar-yang-hansen');   ga('set', 'title', 'Blazers’ Jrue Holiday shouts out ‘superstar’ Yang Hansen');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Jrue-Holiday-shouts-out-superstar-Yang-Hansen.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Blazers’ Jrue Holiday shouts out ‘superstar’ Yang Hansen</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-29T13:23:46-07:00">July 29th, 1:23pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-29T13:23:46-07:00">July 29th, 1:23pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Veteran guard Jrue Holiday praised rookie big man Yang Hansen during a recent conversation with Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report, calling the 20-year-old center a “<a href="https://x.com/highkin/status/1950261925126033590" rel="noopener">superstar</a>” for his early performance with the Portland Trail Blazers.</p><p>“He’s been a superstar. He’s been hooping,” Holiday told Highkin while reflecting on Hansen’s presence in Las Vegas for NBA Summer League. “We were talking about it earlier, how much media he’s had in Vegas. He deserves it. He’s been doing his thing. I’m not sure anybody saw how well he would play, but he’s been playing well. I’m excited.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-rookie-yang-hansen-drops-quote-life-away-basketball">Hansen, selected 16th overall by the Trail Blazers in the 2025 NBA Draft</a>, drew attention for his court vision, rim protection, and mobility during Summer League before being shut down as a precautionary measure. Over four appearances, the 7-foot-1 center averaged 10.8 points, five rebounds, 2.3 blocks, and 3.8 assists per game, showcasing a rare blend of size and playmaking ability that earned strong early reviews from teammates and media alike.</p><h2><b>Jrue Holiday praises Yang Hansen as Blazers blend veteran leadership with young talent</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Hansen.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Holiday, 35, joins Portland after winning his second NBA championship with the Boston Celtics during the 2023–24 season. In his 16th NBA campaign (2024–25), he averaged 11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.1 steals across 62 appearances, helping Boston maintain a top-tier regular season performance following their title run. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/jrue-holiday-trade-grades-for-celtics-blazers-after-stunning-deal">Trail Blazers acquired him earlier this offseason in a trade</a> that sent Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks to Boston.</p><p>With Holiday now anchoring the Trail Blazers’ backcourt and Hansen poised to contribute in the frontcourt, Portland continues to reshape its roster following a transitional 2024–25 campaign. The team missed the playoffs but has since <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-damian-lillard-admits-mistake-after-portland-departure">reunited with All-Star Damian Lillard</a>, who rejoined the franchise on a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-damian-lillard-returning-portland-on-42-million-contract">three-year, $42 million deal after being waived by the Milwaukee Bucks</a>.</p><p>Holiday’s endorsement of Hansen serves as a notable early milestone in the rookie’s development, as the franchise looks to strike a balance between rebuilding and staying competitive. The former Celtic is expected to provide leadership and veteran stability, while Hansen represents a key piece of the team’s long-term outlook.</p><p>As the Blazers head into training camp, Hansen’s trajectory remains a major storyline — and Holiday’s comments only strengthen the view that Portland may have landed a valuable building block with their mid-first-round selection.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Blazers’ Jrue Holiday shouts out ‘superstar’ Yang Hansen

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/portland-trail-blazers-biggest-yang-hansen-concern');   ga('set', 'title', 'Portland Trail Blazers’ biggest Yang Hansen concern despite 2025 NBA Summer League hoopla');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Portland-Trail-Blazers-biggest-Yang-Hansen-concern-despite-2025-NBA-Summer-League-hoopla-.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Portland Trail Blazers’ biggest Yang Hansen concern despite 2025 NBA Summer League hoopla</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-29T09:13:26-07:00">July 29th, 9:13am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-29T14:16:07-07:00">July 29th, 2:16pm</time><address><a>Yasmin Edañol</a>Yasmin D.G. Edañol is a PhD candidate in Chemistry at the University of the Philippines Diliman, with a background in scientific research and publishing. He brings a data-driven perspective to sports storytelling as an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints, with a focus on the NBA. Whether it's breaking down a clutch play or a stat line, he believes every great moment has a deeper layer waiting to be uncovered.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Portland Trail Blazers may have <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-rookie-yang-hansen-drops-quote-life-away-basketball">uncovered a gem in Yang Hansen</a>. The 7-foot-1 Chinese center has turned heads at the 2025 NBA Summer League.</p><p>But Yang Hansen’s early flashes of brilliance have already <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/trail-blazers-news-yang-hansen-reveals-yao-mings-heartfelt-advice-before-nba-arrival">drawn comparisons to a familiar figure, Yao Ming</a>. The former Rockets star dazzled with skill and size, yet saw his career derailed by lower-body injuries that serve as a lasting warning.</p><p>Fans have marveled at Yang’s passing vision, soft touch, and perimeter shooting, rare tools for a player his size. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/denver-nuggets/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-reacts-yang-hansen-hype-viral-comparison">The hype machine has even dubbed him the “Chinese Jokic,</a>” a label that hints at his impressive offensive upside.</p><p>Still, despite the justified buzz, Portland’s front office and coaching staff must face a more pressing concern. Yang’s lack of lower-body strength and physicality stands out as a major red flag.</p><h2><b>Yang Hansen’s glaring weakness: lower-body physicality</b></h2><p>That concern isn’t just theoretical. It’s been on full display in the Summer League. Yang showcases impressive moments, draining threes off the pick-and-pop and throwing slick interior passes, but smaller players often out-rebound him, push him off the block, and expose his discomfort with contact near the rim.</p><p>Opponents quickly learned that fronting him or delivering a shoulder to the chest was often enough to disrupt his rhythm. For a center expected to play heavy minutes in the NBA, that’s a troubling sign.</p><p>What makes this issue more alarming is the cautionary tale that looms large over Chinese basketball: Yao Ming. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-10-greatest-players-franchise-history-ranked">The former No. 1 overall pick and eight-time NBA All-Star</a> brought global attention to the Houston Rockets and lifted China’s profile on the basketball world stage.</p><p>At his peak, Yao was nearly unstoppable, blending finesse with towering dominance. Yet despite his generational talent, a string of devastating lower-body injuries, primarily to his feet and ankles, cut Yao’s career short. He <a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mingya01.html" rel="noopener">played just 486 NBA games</a> before those injuries forced him to retire at age 30.</p><h2><b>The Yao Ming warning for Yang Hansen</b></h2><p>The parallels between Yao Ming and Yang Hansen are impossible to ignore. Both are skilled 7-footers who shoulder immense pressure on their frames. They must score and anchor the paint against the world’s most physical athletes.</p><p>And just like Yao, Yang is expected to represent both his team and his country on a global stage. If he joins national competitions, he may carry a year-round playing burden. That additional wear and tear compounds the risk.</p><p>Yao’s downfall was due in large part to the immense strain placed on his lower extremities. Despite his incredible skill, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/biggest-what-if-players-in-nba-history">his feet and legs couldn’t withstand the rigors of the NBA schedule</a> combined with international commitments.</p><p>Portland must learn from that and do everything possible to build Yang’s base before asking him to carry any heavy minutes. Without a strong core and lower-body stability, Yang is at risk of following a similar trajectory.</p><h2><b>What are the Trail Blazers doing with Yang Hansen?</b></h2><p>To their credit, the Blazers appear to be taking a cautious approach. After four strong but physically demanding Summer League performances, the Trail Blazers opted to shut Yang Hansen down early. While they haven’t stated this publicly, it’s likely they want him to begin focusing on conditioning, strength development, and injury prevention.</p><p>This isn’t just smart; it’s essential because while the highlights are fun, getting repeatedly outmuscled under the basket cancels out any amount of offensive flair.</p><p>Moving forward, Portland’s sports science team must design a comprehensive plan tailored to Yang’s unique frame. This includes building lean muscle mass, improving joint stability, and increasing bone density, especially in the feet, knees, and hips.</p><p>Resistance training, core work, and plyometric drills must become a daily routine. Nutrition and recovery protocols should be top-tier, ensuring he maintains mobility while bulking up safely.</p><p>If Yang can develop the strength to complement his skills, the Trail Blazers may have landed a franchise-altering center. His basketball IQ and offensive feel are ahead of the curve, and he already plays with poise that belies his age. But without physical reinforcement, those tools may go underused or, worse, become irrelevant in the grind of an 82-game season.</p><h2><b>The road ahead for Yang Hansen</b></h2><p>Ultimately, Yang Hansen’s NBA journey is just beginning. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/trail-blazers-news-yang-hansen-shine-summer-league-slam">He’s shown that the tools are real, the vision excites</a>, and the potential looms large. But he must now do the most important work away from the cameras, grinding in the weight room, training at the facility, and embracing the quiet discipline needed to fortify a 7-foot body for the NBA’s punishing demands.</p><p>And if the Trail Blazers gets it right, Yang Hansen could rewrite the narrative left behind by Yao, not just as a star from China but as a durable cornerstone built to last.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Portland Trail Blazers’ biggest Yang Hansen concern despite 2025 NBA Summer League hoopla

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/clippers-news-kawhi-leonard-advice-blazers-yang-hansen-nba-speed');   ga('set', 'title', 'Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard gives golden advice to Blazers’ Yang Hansen about NBA speed');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Kawhi-Leonard-2-moves-the-ball-against-Denver-Nuggets-guard-Christian-Braun-0.jpg"><figcaption>© Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard gives golden advice to Blazers’ Yang Hansen about NBA speed</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-27T18:54:28-07:00">July 27th, 6:54pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-27T18:54:28-07:00">July 27th, 6:54pm</time><address><a>Paolo Mariano</a>Paolo Mariano is a freelance writer, editor, and producer based in Manila, Philippines. He is a journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas and the father of a young girl whose personality swings from Simone Biles to Dillon Brooks. A beacon of objectivity, he believes Penny Hardaway is the true NBA GOAT.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Clippers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>They’re the duo we thought we didn’t need. Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard and Portland Trail Blazers rookie Yang Hansen recently hit each other up via video call to talk about the NBA. Leonard will visit China this offseason, and it’s only apt that he gets to chat with the Shandong-born Yang prior to the trip.</p><p>Yang was surprisingly drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies as the 16th overall pick and was swiftly <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-damian-lillard-love-yang-hansen-memory">traded to the Trail Blazers</a>. He turned heads in the NBA Summer League, showing off his all-around game that has earned him the nickname “Chinese Jokic,” a nod to Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic.</p><p>The 20-year-old newcomer, however, admitted to Leonard that he is still trying to adjust to the NBA’s speed.</p><p>“The pace is kind of fast. They (players) are really fast like rabbits. Extremely fast,” said Yang via a translator.</p><p>The comments made the Clippers forward laugh before giving Yang <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1949586015712346378" rel="noopener">words of encouragement</a>.</p><p>“Once you get a few more games under your belt, it will slow down,” said the 34-year-old Leonard, who has mastered playing at his own pace.</p><p>Yang should be named Rookie of the Year just for making Leonard laugh.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kawhi Leonard and Yang Hansen is the duo we never knew we needed 🤩</p><p>Kawhi says he wants to link up and get in the gym with the Blazers rookie when he comes to China this offseason 🇨🇳</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/swishcultures_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@swishcultures_</a>)<a href="https://t.co/v6hd9d3SZ7">pic.twitter.com/v6hd9d3SZ7</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1949586015712346378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p> </p><p>The Clippers veteran also sought advice from the fast-rising big man for his upcoming visit to China, including how to talk trash in Mandarin.</p><p>“I need some in-person coaching for that,” said Leonard, again laughing.</p><p>The two-time champion also said he wants to play ball with Yang, who <a href="https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-07-25/Yang-Hansen-to-skip-FIBA-Asia-Cup-focus-on-development-in-Portland-1FhY2rlr1DO/p.html" rel="noopener">recently begged off</a> from suiting up for China in next month’s FIBA Asia Cup to focus on his rookie stint with the Trail Blazers.</p><p>“Man, if you got some free time, let’s get in the gym and have some shooting contest. When I head out there, I will hit you up,” said Leonard.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-clippers/10-most-interesting-facts-about-kawhi-leonards-nba-career">Leonard was once again hobbled by injuries</a> last season, limiting him to just 37 games with the Clippers. He averaged 21.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard gives golden advice to Blazers’ Yang Hansen about NBA speed

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-damian-lillard-love-yang-hansen-memory');   ga('set', 'title', 'Blazers’ Damian Lillard will absolutely love Yang Hansen’s memory of him');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Damian-Lillard-warming-up.jpg"><figcaption>Dale Zanine-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Blazers’ Damian Lillard will absolutely love Yang Hansen’s memory of him</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-24T19:42:03-07:00">July 24th, 7:42pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-24T19:42:17-07:00">July 24th, 7:42pm</time><address><a>Paolo Mariano</a>Paolo Mariano is a freelance writer, editor, and producer based in Manila, Philippines. He is a journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas and the father of a young girl whose personality swings from Simone Biles to Dillon Brooks. A beacon of objectivity, he believes Penny Hardaway is the true NBA GOAT.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard is expected to sit out the entire 2025-26 season due to his Achilles injury. While he is out of commission, his primary role will be to mentor his younger teammates, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/trail-blazers-news-yang-hansen-reveals-yao-mings-heartfelt-advice-before-nba-arrival">including rookie Yang Hansen</a>.</p><p>The 20-year-old center from China <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/yang-hansen-haters-pelicans-2025-nba-summer-league-biggest-losers">impressed in the NBA Summer League</a>, showing off his versatility, vision, and overall skill level. He was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies as the 16th overall pick but was quickly traded to the Trail Blazers.</p><p>While he is miles away from home, he has become more comfortable in Rip City. Knowing his teammates well is a plus. When asked by ClutchPoints’ Ben Golliver about his <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1948503579565982070">favorite memory of watching Lillard</a> play with the Trail Blazers, Yang had the perfect response: He tapped his wrist.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Reporter: “Do you have any memories of watching Damian Lillard play in Portland with the Trail Blazers?”</p><p>Yang Hansen: *Taps wrist for Dame Time.*</p><p>(Question: <a href="https://twitter.com/BenGolliver?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BenGolliver</a>, 🎥: <a href="https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TomerAzarly</a>) <a href="https://t.co/7D3LovayJo">pic.twitter.com/7D3LovayJo</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1948503579565982070?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>As they say in China: If you know, you know.</p><p>Yang is the ninth player from China to get drafted in the NBA and the third-highest selection behind Yao Ming, who was the top overall pick in 2002, and Yi Jianlian, who was drafted seventh overall in 2007.</p><p>It was recently announced that he <a href="https://english.news.cn/20250724/a2265fb7ca1242d69a8ceb2196d02f76/c.html" rel="noopener">will not suit up for China</a> in next month’s FIBA Asia Cup to fully focus on his time with the Trail Blazers. He expressed his gratitude to the national team for allowing him to nurture his ambition.</p><p>“From the moment I decided to chase my dream in the United States, I have always felt the strength of the entire Chinese basketball community behind me,” said Yang in a statement, as quoted by state media Xinhua.</p><p>“The opportunity to focus on adapting to the NBA’s rhythm and improving my personal abilities is inseparable from the open-minded attitude everyone has shown. This kind of tolerance for the growth of a young player has truly touched me.”</p><p>With Lillard guiding him, Yang’s comfort level with the Trail Blazers will improve sooner rather than later. Next thing they know, it is Yang Time.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Blazers’ Damian Lillard will absolutely love Yang Hansen’s memory of him

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/trail-blazers-news-yang-hansen-message-to-damian-lillard-amid-portland-return');   ga('set', 'title', 'Yang Hansen’s message to Damian Lillard amid Trail Blazers return');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Yang-Hansen-Damian-Lillard-Portland-Trail-Blazers.jpg"><figcaption>CP</figcaption></figure><h1>Yang Hansen’s message to Damian Lillard amid Trail Blazers return</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-24T15:09:19-07:00">July 24th, 3:09pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-24T15:38:42-07:00">July 24th, 3:38pm</time><address><a>Tomer Azarly</a>Tomer Azarly is in his ninth season as the LA Clippers beat writer and NBA reporter for ClutchPoints. From the Lob City era to the Kawhi Leonard-James Harden era, he brings you everything you need to know about the Clippers as well as coast-to-coast coverage of the NBA.In his free time, Tomer likes to play basketball, video games, and draw.You can follow his Twitter and Instagram for all Clippers content.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Mini-Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Portland Trail Blazers have had an eventful month, from the drafting of Yang Hansen to the return of Damian Lillard in <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-damian-lillard-embraces-unique-role-in-emotional-return">free agency</a> at the end of Summer League.</p><p>Portland appears to be a team on the rise, especially as their <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/yang-hansen-haters-pelicans-2025-nba-summer-league-biggest-losers">young talent continues to develop</a> and Lillard rehabs his torn Achilles injury.</p><h2><b>Yang Hansen’s message to Damian Lillard amid Trail Blazers return</b></h2><p>Yang Hansen, the No. 16 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, took Summer League by storm with his strong play and hilarious personality. Interpreter Chris Liu has helped Yang transition to the United States and deal with the immense media responsibilities with both Chinese and American media members.</p><p>Yang made four appearances in NBA Summer League, averaging 10.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game on 45.7 percent shooting from the field.</p><p>His best game came against Derick Queen and the New Orleans Pelicans, where he put up 15 points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal, two blocked shots, and three 3-pointers in a Blazers win.</p><p>After Lillard agreed to a deal with the Trail Blazers, Yang was asked about the former Portland superstar guard returning to the team he played his first 11 seasons with.</p><p>“Damian, I mean, he’s a really good player,” Yang said, with interpreter Chris Liu by his side. “I always use them in the 2K game, and I just wish that Damian will rehabilitate himself soon. I feel for Damian; I wish I can see him on the court soon.”</p><p>When asked if he had any <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1948503579565982070" rel="noopener">memories of Lillard with the Blazers</a>, Yang simply smiled and tapped his wrist.</p><p>“Time to check the watch,” Yang said via Liu. “Dame Time.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Reporter: “Do you have any memories of watching Damian Lillard play in Portland with the Trail Blazers?”</p><p>Yang Hansen: *Taps wrist for Dame Time.*</p><p>(Question: <a href="https://twitter.com/BenGolliver?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BenGolliver</a>, 🎥: <a href="https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TomerAzarly</a>) <a href="https://t.co/7D3LovayJo">pic.twitter.com/7D3LovayJo</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1948503579565982070?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Lillard and the Blazers quickly agreed to a three-year, $42 million deal that comes with a no-trade clause after the nine-time NBA All-Star reached a buyout agreement with the Milwaukee Bucks. In his introductory press conference, Lillard explained his new role with the franchise as he recovers from a torn Achilles tendon.</p><p>“I told him that this year, he’s going to be the highest paid assistant coach in league history because I’m going to be putting him to work every day,” Chauncey Billups said of Lillard’s new role. “We’re really excited. We’re really happy to have our guy back.”</p><p>“Like Chauncey said, I’m going to be an assistant coach, but my investment in the team will be the same,” Lillard explained.</p><p>After making big strides in the back half of the 2024-25 season, the Blazers are entering a big season. They drafted Yang Hansen while building around Deni Avdija and Scoot Henderson following the moves to send out Deandre Ayton and Anfernee Simons.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Yang Hansen’s message to Damian Lillard amid Trail Blazers return

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/nba-news-why-egor-demin-beat-yang-hansen-biggest-draft-reach-espn-poll');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Egor Demin beat out Yang Hansen for biggest draft reach in ESPN poll');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Nets-rookie-Egor-Demin.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Why Egor Demin beat out Yang Hansen for biggest draft reach in ESPN poll</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-24T10:25:34-07:00">July 24th, 10:25am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-24T10:25:34-07:00">July 24th, 10:25am</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>In a survey of 20 anonymous NBA executive and scouts, Brooklyn Nets’ Egor Demin, the eighth overall pick in this year’s draft, received the most votes for prospect with the biggest reach. Portland Blazers’ No. 16 overall pick, Yang Hansen, came in second, losing 7-4 in votes. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-coach-reveals-reason-egor-demins-summer-league-role-change">Demin showcased his offensive versatility in Summer League</a> as a facilitator and an off-the-ball scorer. It seemingly left a lasting impression.</p><p>Demin, who was drafted with the expectations of becoming a main distributor for the Nets, also played off the ball in Las Vegas, <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45807536/2025-nba-draft-executives-debate-espn-poll-rookies-year-best-picks-summer-league" rel="noopener">giving him the slight edge</a> in comparison to Blazers’ Yang, per ESPN’s Jeremy Woo.</p><p>“Even if you believe in [Demin] as a starting NBA point guard — and I don’t — it seems like he would’ve been gettable at the end of the lottery, or even later,” one Eastern Conference executive said.</p><p>While Hansen, who was projected to be an early second-round pick, was taken early by the Blazers with hopes of him reaching a high ceiling.</p><p>“I like [Yang] — just didn’t see it coming, with him going right outside of the lottery,” another Eastern Conference executive said.</p><p>Yang Hansen also had an impressive showing at Summer League, including his playmaking abilities and offensive skillset. He averaged 10.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in three games.</p><h2><b>Coach reveals reason for Egor Demin’s role change for Nets</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Nets-rookie-Egor-Demin-2.jpg"><figcaption>David Banks-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Nets’ <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-biggest-question-rookie-guards-must-answer-after-summer-league">Egor Demin is one of five first-round picks</a> that showcased their skillsets at Summer League in Las Vegas. Shooting was undoubtedly a priority, as it is for many team in today’s NBA, and the Nets selected a few of the better shooters in this year’s draft class. While Demin displayed his facilitating abilities, he also demonstrated his range.</p><p>Demin’s <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslater_/status/1945678722465661107/" rel="noopener">three-point shooting came naturally</a> in the flow of the offense, according to Nets Summer League head coach Steve Hetzel.</p><p>“I would say it’s more how it played out [than anything we planned],” Hetzel said. “The physicality of these players he’s going up against, some guys have been out of college for a while now. Their bodies are fully developed, and the physicality is something that he’s going to have to get used to. We saw the same things in his days at BYU in his ability to play pick-and-roll, and he’ll get there. But right now, he’s got to focus on the weight room, getting stronger, being able to hold off his defender, and then be able to play in the play-and-roll.”</p><p>In his first three outings, Demin shot 40.0 percent from three on 7.5 attempts per game.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Egor Demin beat out Yang Hansen for biggest draft reach in ESPN poll

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-bill-simmons-buys-yang-hansen-conspiracy-theory-blazers-sale-buzz');   ga('set', 'title', 'Bill Simmons buys into Yang Hansen conspiracy theory amid Blazers sale buzz');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Trail-Blazers-center-Yang-Hansen.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Bill Simmons buys into Yang Hansen conspiracy theory amid Blazers sale buzz</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-24T09:20:42-07:00">July 24th, 9:20am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-24T10:20:34-07:00">July 24th, 10:20am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>On the latest episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, sports media personality Bill Simmons voiced his support for a growing conspiracy theory surrounding the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-yang-hansen-fun-shaq-comparison">Portland Trail Blazers’ selection of Yang Hansen with the 16th pick</a> in the 2025 NBA Draft. The discussion comes as the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-portland-franchise-for-sale-seahawks">Trail Blazers continue to navigate an ownership transition</a> following the estate of Paul Allen formally initiating the sale of the franchise earlier this year.</p><p>Simmons, joined by ESPN’s Zach Lowe, speculated on the <a href="https://youtu.be/-jFQTT6EwGc?si=CF3xiJi9_CYTEj4Z" rel="noopener">potential value</a> of the Blazers ahead of the sale.</p><p>“I heard there is a guy and I heard it’s going to go over four are the only two things I’ve heard,” Simmons said. “I think the consensus is it’s going to be in the mid threes, but I think it’s going to go over four.”</p><p>He cited the scarcity of available teams as a factor that could push the price beyond $4 billion, referencing possible interest in other franchises such as the New Orleans Pelicans or the Chicago Bulls, should they come to market.</p><p>In May, Trail Blazers Senior Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs Natalie King confirmed the team’s sale process, stating in a press release that the estate was following through on Paul Allen’s directive to divest sports holdings and allocate proceeds toward philanthropic endeavors.</p><h2><b>Bill Simmons links Yang Hansen pick, Damian Lillard’s return to Trail Blazers’ sale strategy</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/NBA-Portland-Trail-Blazers-at-Memphis-Grizzlies.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Simmons linked the team’s draft strategy and free agency moves to the timing of the sale, arguing that the selection of Yang Hansen and the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-damian-lillard-embraces-unique-role-in-emotional-return">return of Damian Lillard</a> could serve to elevate the franchise’s appeal to potential buyers.</p><p>“So that was a Summer League convo, right?” Simmons said. “The Dame thing was nuts. Like they’re paying him $14 million this year not to play. And I know it’s great to have him back but I just thought the combo of those two things I thought was notable.”</p><p>He continued by highlighting Hansen’s draft position.</p><p>“The fact that you took Yang Hansen at 16 when you probably could have got him in the mid-late twenties but you were so desperate to get him you didn’t want to f—k around. Conspiracy Bill was activated.”</p><p>Hansen, a 20-year-old, 7-foot-1 center, averaged 10.8 points, five rebounds, and 2.3 blocks over four games before being shut down during Summer League. He also recorded 15 assists in that stretch, drawing attention for his size and court vision despite being viewed by some scouts as a late-first-round prospect.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-why-damian-lillard-is-allowed-to-have-no-trade-clause-in-contract">Trail Blazers also signed Lillard to a three-year, $42 million deal</a> this offseason, bringing the 35-year-old All-Star back to Portland after being <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/bucks-rumors-why-insider-thinks-bucks-damian-lillard-release-is-win-win">waived by the Milwaukee Bucks</a>. Lillard’s new contract includes a player option and a no-trade clause.</p><p>Simmons’ comments reflect a broader conversation surrounding the team’s motives as it reshapes its roster and prepares for new ownership. With few franchises expected to hit the market in the near future, the Trail Blazers’ moves — and the intrigue they spark — will likely remain a topic of speculation in NBA circles.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Bill Simmons buys into Yang Hansen conspiracy theory amid Blazers sale buzz

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/denver-nuggets/nuggets-news-nikola-jokic-reacts-yang-hansen-hype-viral-comparison');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic reacts to Yang Hansen hype after viral comparison');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Nuggets-star-Nikola-Jokic-reacts-to-a-call-in-game-against-Thunder.jpg"><figcaption>Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic reacts to Yang Hansen hype after viral comparison</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-23T07:04:54-07:00">July 23rd, 7:04am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-23T07:04:54-07:00">July 23rd, 7:04am</time><address><a>Yasmin Edañol</a>Yasmin D.G. Edañol is a PhD candidate in Chemistry at the University of the Philippines Diliman, with a background in scientific research and publishing. He brings a data-driven perspective to sports storytelling as an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints, with a focus on the NBA. Whether it's breaking down a clutch play or a stat line, he believes every great moment has a deeper layer waiting to be uncovered.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Denver Nuggets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Denver Nuggets superstar <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/denver-nuggets/nuggets-news-how-denver-feels-nikola-jokic-declining-contract-extension">Nikola Jokic made headlines earlier this offseason after declining a contract extension</a>. Now, he’s back in the spotlight, this time for his reaction to Portland Trail Blazers rookie Yang Hansen’s heartfelt request. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-joe-cronin-reacts-chinese-nikola-jokic-comp-yang-hansen">7-foot-1 big man has drawn direct comparisons to Jokic</a>. His fluid passing and high basketball IQ earned him the nickname “Chinese Jokic.” <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/yang-hansen-haters-pelicans-2025-nba-summer-league-biggest-losers">Hansen impressed during Summer League action</a>. He averaged 10.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists while flashing shades of Jokic’s playmaking brilliance.</p><p><a href="https://www.sportskeeda.com/basketball/news-nikola-jokic-drops-first-reaction-chinese-jokic-yang-hansen-s-skillset-rookie-s-heartfelt-request-if-i-destroy-him-yeah" rel="noopener">In a lighthearted video</a> shared by the NBA, Jokic watched Hansen’s heartfelt request: “Picture and signature, please.” The moment drew laughter from the crowd, and from Jokic himself. <a href="https://x.com/NBA/status/1947851391306989893" rel="noopener">After watching the clip</a>, Jokic quipped, “He is good. I’m happy that by the time he hits his prime, I’ll probably be out of the league. Yeah, he’s talented. We can have a picture or whatever he wants, but only if he plays bad against me.”</p><p>Jokic then added with a grin, “Let’s say I destroy him and score a lot of points, then yes. If he does that to me, no.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">There’s just one catch… Nikola Jokić reacts to seeing <a href="https://twitter.com/Hans15Y?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Hans15Y</a>’s request! <a href="https://t.co/qP2MkOiNI3">pic.twitter.com/qP2MkOiNI3</a></p><p>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1947851391306989893?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Rapidly going viral, Jokic’s remark carried more than humor, it may have hinted at bigger-picture reflection. Some pundits are reading into his slip about being “out of the league,” wondering whether retirement could be on his mind. For now, it appears Nikola Jokic was simply being playful, drawing laughs rather than announcing any serious exit from the Nuggets.</p><p>Deep down, the exchange highlights mutual respect. Nikola Jokic described Yang Hansen as talented, candidly acknowledging the Blazers rookie’s skill while expressing confidence in his own ability. Meanwhile, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-yang-hansen-fanboys-over-nikola-jokic-with-honest-admission">Hansen’s bold request and candid praise, “my idol is Jokic”</a>, underscore his eagerness and the weight of expectations on his shoulders.</p><p>Looking ahead, the pair are set to meet frequently, with both teams in the NBA’s Northwest Division. Fans can expect plenty of matchups in which Jokic will jokingly, or not, decide whether to snap that photo.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic reacts to Yang Hansen hype after viral comparison

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/nba-stories/yang-hansen-haters-pelicans-2025-nba-summer-league-biggest-losers');   ga('set', 'title', 'Yang Hansen haters, Pelicans headline 2025 NBA Summer League’s biggest losers');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Yang-Hansen-haters-Pelicans-headline-2025-NBA-Summer-Leagues-biggest-losers.jpg"></figure><h1>Yang Hansen haters, Pelicans headline 2025 NBA Summer League’s biggest losers</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-22T08:18:08-07:00">July 22nd, 8:18am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-22T08:18:08-07:00">July 22nd, 8:18am</time><address><a>Brett Siegel</a>Brett Siegel joined ClutchPoints as a credentialed NBA insider and reporter in May 2023 after previously covering the NBA for Fastbreak on FanNation and NBA Analysis Network, as well as working with Louisville Basketball. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Breaking the news of various free agent signings, yearly NBA Draft news and other key stories around the league, Brett is always on the phone, getting the latest news and rumors around the NBA. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Winning is nice, especially when it happens in Las Vegas. There were <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/kyle-filipowski-kings-2025-nba-summer-leagues-biggest-winners">plenty of winners at NBA Summer League</a> this year, as Kyle Filipowski, Nique Clifford, and Kon Knueppel were among the notable standouts from this summer’s showcase. However, when there are winners of NBA Summer League, there are also losers that need to be discussed as well.</p><p>Perhaps nobody lost more than a poor soul I observed on the concourse at the Thomas &amp; Mack Center. In between games, many NBA spectators go and grab food at the arena so they don’t miss a second of Summer League action.</p><p>Unfortunately, not everyone makes it back to their seats with their food unharmed, and that is when I discovered the person who lost the most at Summer League. After ordering a platter of chicken fingers with his baby girl in hand and guiding his younger son next to him (the child couldn’t have been older than 4 years old), a random guy in a yellow LeBron James Los Angeles Lakers jersey began his journey back to his seats.</p><p>As he lowered lowered the chicken platter for his begging son to grab just one of the five or six strips that were there, it was in that moment that the father knew he messed up. With a forceful downswing, the child had knocked the chicken fingers everywhere, and before the father could form a sentence, the baby sensed it was her turn to wreak havoc by slapping his soda cup from his hands.</p><p>Five tasty-looking chicken fingers, now covered in Coca-Cola, lay on the concourse of the Thomas &amp; Mack Center as a look of despair came from the father’s face. To make matters worse, the child, who wasn’t going to be stopped in his conquest to get his chicken finger, swiftly picked one up off the floor with no care in the world and consumed the now cola-flavored chicken.</p><p>If this was you at Summer League and you are now stumbling upon this story after your trip to the desert, I am sorry for your loss of chicken fingers and the drama you had to deal with. However, I will forever remember this moment outside of section 112 every year I attend NBA Summer League.</p><p>Anyway, back to the actual topic at hand: basketball in Las Vegas!</p><p>Plenty of teams and people ended up being the biggest losers from NBA Summer League, starting with those who weren’t pleased with the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/trail-blazers-news-yang-hansen-reveals-yao-mings-heartfelt-advice-before-nba-arrival">Portland Trail Blazers’ first-round draft pick</a>.</p><h2><b>Yang Hansen silences haters in Summer League spotlight</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Blazers-Yang-Hansen-walks-to-the-stage.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Even now, when you look back a month to the 2025 NBA Draft, it’s still crazy to believe that the Portland Trail Blazers <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-joe-cronin-reacts-chinese-nikola-jokic-comp-yang-hansen">took Yang Hansen with the 16th pick</a> after many had him graded as a second-round prospect. Nobody saw this selection coming right after the lottery, and many had criticized Hansen before he even stepped foot on the court in the United States.</p><p>Perhaps now is a good time to revisit what one front-office executive told ClutchPoints on draft night shortly after the pick was made:</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">On the Hansen Yang pick at 16 for Portland, this is what one NBA front-office member had to say: </p><p>"That is the wildest pick I've ever seen. Those jobs up there are on the line."</p><p>— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrettSiegelNBA/status/1938057816927060268?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Well, so far, the Blazers seem like the smart ones for drafting the Chinese big man, as he was right there with Cooper Flagg and Bronny James as <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-yang-hansen-fun-shaq-comparison">one of the faces of NBA Summer League this year</a> in Las Vegas. He even had his own graphic on one of the poles on the concourse of the arena with several top picks in the draft!</p><p>In terms of his play, Hansen averaged 10.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 45.7 percent from the floor. He looked comfortable on the perimeter, especially as a passer, and the 20-year-old center played at his pace.</p><p>Although he was gassed at times and will obviously need to become more physically fit to contribute in full at the NBA level, this was a surprisingly strong showing for Hansen in Summer League.</p><p>All of his haters certainly can’t say much after watching him play in Las Vegas. If you were one of them, you ended up being a loser in Summer League this year.</p><h2><b>Pelicans continue to face major questions</b></h2><p>Last season, the New Orleans Pelicans were decimated by injuries. Absences by several key members of this roster will linger into the 2025-26 season, specifically with Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy III, and Herb Jones. Once again, the Pelicans were unable to escape the injury bug in Summer League, as 13th-overall pick Derik Queen suffered a torn ligament in his wrist and had to <a href="https://x.com/PelicansNBA/status/1946287744269029459" rel="noopener">undergo surgery</a>.</p><p>Queen will be out at least 12 weeks and is expected to miss the start of his rookie season.</p><p>This obviously makes the Pelicans big-time losers coming out of Las Vegas, as Queen was set to hold a significant role early in the year next to Zion Williamson and Yves Missi. Speaking of Missi, he struggled mightily in his three Summer League games and looked more like a first-year player than someone heading into his second season after starting 67 games for New Orleans last year.</p><p>While seventh-overall pick Jeremiah Fears led the Pelicans in scoring with 17.4 points per game, he shot just 18.2 percent from 3-point range, he didn’t match the physicality of his opponents, and he averaged 5.0 turnovers per game. That is not what you want to see from a player who is supposed to become the franchise’s lead guard.</p><p>The Pelicans have a lot of work to do in the training room and in terms of practicing if they are to be anything noteworthy during the 2025-26 season. So far, this summer has not been kind to New Orleans.</p><h2><b>What will the Lakers do with Dalton Knecht?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_0047.jpeg"><figcaption>Candice Ward-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Along with Missi, Dalton Knecht was another second-year player who struggled in Summer League.</p><p>Knecht, whom the Lakers have remained high on as an impactful wing on the perimeter, was overshadowed by James, Cole Swider, and Darius Bazley. Quite honestly, if you didn’t know anything about the Lakers’ roster, you would’ve thought that Swider was who fans in Los Angeles hype Knecht up to be!</p><p>Swider was excellent on offense, as he averaged a team-high 17.6 points per game while shooting 40.9 percent from 3-point range. Unfortunately for the sharpshooter, he is what we in the media like to refer to as a “3-and-no-D” player since he is often targeted on defense by his opponents.</p><p>Looking back at Knecht’s performances, he barely averaged over 10 points per game while shooting 27.9 percent from the floor and 23.8 percent from 3-point range. Since being included in the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/inside-failed-lakers-hornets-trade-mark-williams">rescinded trade for Mark Williams</a> back in February, Knecht’s confidence has been unsteady.</p><p>This will be a big year for Knecht to prove himself coming off the bench for the Lakers. So far, things aren’t looking promising.</p><h2><b>NBA fans who wanted to see top draft picks</b></h2><p>Well, if you attended NBA Summer League to watch the incoming top draft picks, you instead got to watch a handful of bench players, second-year guys, and second-round picks for the most part.</p><p>Flagg, Dylan Harper, and Tre Johnson only played two Summer League games each. VJ Edgecombe played just once, and Utah Jazz fifth pick Ace Bailey didn’t play at all. It is worth mentioning that Harper was dealing with a minor groin injury, Edgecombe had a thumb injury, and Bailey was dealing with a hip flexor injury.</p><p>While these top picks were missing games for good reasons, all three respective teams did partake in warm-up Summer League events like the California Classic and the Salt Lake City Summer League. Perhaps it is time for those extra games and exhibitions to be held after the main NBA Summer League in Las Vegas so fans can actually see the main guys the league is marketing.</p><p>Of course, everyone knew that these lottery picks were not going to play more than two or three games entering Summer League, but it’s the fact that so many players missed games this year that doesn’t sit well with many fans. Shoutout to Kon Knueppel, who played five of his team’s six games, including <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-summer-league-championship-win-embarrassing-franchise-curse">leading the team to the Summer League title</a> after receiving stitches for a cut above his eye.</p><p>NBA fans who showed up after the first three days ended up being Summer League losers, as they missed out on getting to see Flagg and the rest of this year’s top picks.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Yang Hansen haters, Pelicans headline 2025 NBA Summer League’s biggest losers

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-yang-hansen-fun-shaq-comparison');   ga('set', 'title', 'Blazers’ Yang Hansen draws fun Shaq comparison');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Hansen-at-the-draft.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Blazers’ Yang Hansen draws fun Shaq comparison</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-21T10:00:34-07:00">July 21st, 10:00am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-21T10:00:34-07:00">July 21st, 10:00am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Portland Trail Blazers surprised many at the recent NBA Draft by <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/trail-blazers-news-yang-hansen-reveals-yao-mings-heartfelt-advice-before-nba-arrival">selecting Chinese center Yang Hansen</a> with the number 16 overall pick. Many had projected the seven footer to be closer to a second-round selection, and the move was particularly surprising considering the number of centers that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-deandre-aytons-fit-lakers-conflicted-views-ex-suns-blazers-staff">the Blazers already had</a> on their roster.</p><p>However, Hansen looked solid during his stint with Portland at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, and his infectious personality is already winning over Blazers fans everywhere.</p><p>Recently, NBA insider Ben Golliver of the Washington Post noted similarities–personality-wise–between Yang <a href="https://www.hoopshype.com/story/sports/nba/rumors/2025/07/20/while-star-big-men-such-as-kareem-abdul-jabbar-and/85300464007/" rel="noopener">and another former</a> Western Conference big man.</p><p>“While star big men such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Victor Wembanyama often appeared serious and guarded in public, Yang’s lighthearted personality recalls a fellow towering jester: Shaquille O’Neal,” noted Golliver, via HoopsHype.</p><p>Yang also spoke on how he tries to keep a positive attitude amidst all the hoopla that goes with being a first round NBA Draft pick.</p><p>“Attention doesn’t bother me,” Yang said. “That’s part of the job. That’s the perfect time to show my humor. Sometimes you’ll see my face goes down. That doesn’t mean I’m frustrated. That means I want to go to sleep. I’ll save my words sometimes because I want to go to bed.”</p><h2><b>An interesting decision</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Yang-Hansen-walks-to-the-stage-after-being-selected-as-the-16th-pick.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>As previously mentioned, many raised eyebrows when the Portland Trail Blazers selected Yang not only because of where he was projected by most to go in the draft but also due to the fact that Portland already had several centers on their roster.</p><p>However, the Blazers have since moved on from Deandre Ayton by buying him out of his contract. Still, Yang figures to be in a battle with last year’s first round pick Donovan Clingan and former trade acquisition Robert Williams III for minutes this year.</p><p>Overall, Yang has an enticing skill set, including impressive passing ability for a player his size, but it remains to be seen how he will adjust to the speed and physicality of the NBA game.</p><p>The Blazers’ schedule is set to be announced in August.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Blazers’ Yang Hansen draws fun Shaq comparison

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/trail-blazers-news-yang-hansen-reveals-yao-mings-heartfelt-advice-before-nba-arrival');   ga('set', 'title', 'Trail Blazers rookie Yang Hansen reveals Yao Ming’s heartfelt advice before NBA arrival');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Yao-Ming.jpg"><figcaption>Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Trail Blazers rookie Yang Hansen reveals Yao Ming’s heartfelt advice before NBA arrival</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-20T23:38:25-07:00">July 20th, 11:38pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-20T23:38:25-07:00">July 20th, 11:38pm</time><address><a>Miguel La Torre</a>Miguel La Torre is a lifelong sports junkie and seasoned sports writer whose passion for the game has been with him since childhood. A former soccer player turned dedicated runner, he's now chasing his dream of completing all seven major world marathons. Miguel is also a proud Utah Jazz believer, a passionate Manchester United and Real Madrid supporter, and loyal Novak Djokovic fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Yang Hansen may be the new kid on the Portland Trail Blazers roster, but <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/trail-blazers-news-yang-hansen-4-word-declaration-rookie-season">he is already winning fans</a> over with his charisma, sense of humor, and potential. The 7-foot-1 Chinese rookie shared a story <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DMWiTqxxK-Y/?e=eb9855cd-fda4-4258-a2de-b892aa15b40d&amp;g=5&amp;img_index=1" rel="noopener">during a recent interview</a> that gave a glimpse into his humble beginnings and the legendary support behind his rise.</p><p>Before entering the NBA, Hansen had a very different lifestyle. “I was a little bit of a fat boy,” he told The Washington Post. “My father told me to try some sports, figure out what you want to do, and lose some weight. My father told me, don’t become fat.” The comment sparked laughs, but it also revealed a turning point in Hansen’s life. That push from his father set him on the path toward basketball.</p><p>What happened next added a layer of warmth to his story. Hansen shared that NBA legend Yao Ming, one of the most respected Chinese athletes of all time, offered him a very different kind of advice before his NBA debut. “He told me to enjoy your food, enjoy your drinks, enjoy your sleep, and enjoy everything.” That kind of encouragement, focused on balance and joy, left a strong impression.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="instagram-media"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DMWiTqxxK-Y/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="line-height: 0; padding: 0 0; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="display: flex;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div><div style="display: flex;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div><div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"><div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div><div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div><div></div><div></div><div></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div><div></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"><div></div><div></div><div></div></div></div><div style="display: flex; margin-bottom: 24px;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div><p></p></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DMWiTqxxK-Y/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Yahoo Sports (@yahoosports)</a></p></div></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>Hansen is following in the footsteps of Yao, not just as a towering center from China, but as someone who carries the hopes of a basketball-loving nation. He became the highest-drafted Chinese player in nearly two decades when the Memphis Grizzlies selected him 16th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. Shortly after, he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, a team now undergoing a rebuild centered on Damian Lillard’s long-awaited return.</p><p>In his first Summer League appearances, Hansen has shown why the Blazers see so much promise in him. He put up 10 points, five rebounds, and two blocks in his debut, then followed it with a 15-point showing. For a rookie big man, his combination of size, passing, mobility, and shooting has impressed coaches and fans alike.</p><p>But it was a small gesture that made headlines. During an interview at the 2K26 NBA Summer League, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/trail-blazers-news-yang-hansen-perfectly-shows-hes-ready-to-run-with-damian-lillard">Hansen tapped his wrist with a grin</a>. It was a playful nod to “Dame Time,” a clear sign he is excited to share the court with Damian Lillard, who recently returned to Portland on a three-year deal. Lillard is expected to take on a mentoring role while helping lead the next era of Blazers basketball.</p><p>That partnership between Lillard and Hansen could be special. Lillard brings leadership, clutch scoring, and experience. Hansen adds fresh energy, size, and a willingness to learn. Together, they represent the Trail Blazers’ mix of veteran presence and youth development.</p><p>What sets the 20-year-old apart is not just his basketball ability but his personality. He has been open about his journey, his flaws, and the people who have helped him along the way. From his father’s tough love to Yao Ming’s wise words, he is carrying lessons that go beyond basketball.</p><p>As the season approaches, Hansen is expected to play behind Donovan Clingan but could earn more minutes if he continues to develop. Portland fans are excited not just because of what Hansen can do now, but because of what he might become.</p><p>For the big man, the road to the NBA was filled with challenges. But with a joyful heart, a grounded mindset, and support from legends like Yao, he is already embracing his new chapter. Hansen is here for the moment and ready for what comes next.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Trail Blazers rookie Yang Hansen reveals Yao Ming’s heartfelt advice before NBA arrival

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/trail-blazers-news-yang-hansen-perfectly-shows-hes-ready-to-run-with-damian-lillard');   ga('set', 'title', 'Trail Blazers rookie Yang Hansen perfectly shows he’s ready to run with Damian Lillard');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Hansen.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Trail Blazers rookie Yang Hansen perfectly shows he’s ready to run with Damian Lillard</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-18T03:04:41-07:00">July 18th, 3:04am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-18T03:04:41-07:00">July 18th, 3:04am</time><address><a>Miguel La Torre</a>Miguel La Torre is a lifelong sports junkie and seasoned sports writer whose passion for the game has been with him since childhood. A former soccer player turned dedicated runner, he's now chasing his dream of completing all seven major world marathons. Miguel is also a proud Utah Jazz believer, a passionate Manchester United and Real Madrid supporter, and loyal Novak Djokovic fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Yang Hansen is <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/trail-blazers-news-yang-hansen-4-word-declaration-rookie-season">wasting no time showing he belongs in Portland</a>. During an interview at the 2K26 NBA Summer League, the Trail Blazers rookie center <a href="https://x.com/BenGolliver/status/1946037755479540205" rel="noopener">tapped his wrist</a> in a confident nod to Damian Lillard’s signature celebration, declaring he is ready for Dame Time. It was a small gesture with big meaning, capturing his excitement to join forces with the returning franchise legend.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Blazers rookie center Yang Hansen taps his wrist to show he’s ready for “Dame Time” with Damian Lillard <a href="https://t.co/BnzUvgUbFy">pic.twitter.com/BnzUvgUbFy</a></p><p>— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenGolliver/status/1946037755479540205?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Hansen’s journey to Portland began on draft night when he was selected 16th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies. The Trail Blazers quickly made a move to acquire him, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-joe-cronin-reacts-chinese-nikola-jokic-comp-yang-hansen">seeing rare potential in the 7-foot-1 center</a>. Known for his passing instincts, rim protection, and emerging range, Hansen was one of the most intriguing prospects in the draft.</p><p>His combination of size, skill, and feel for the game stood out during pre-draft workouts and has carried over into his early showings in summer league play.</p><p>In his first few games, Hansen has already flashed the tools that made him a first-round pick. He posted 10 points, five assists, four rebounds, and 2 blocks <a href="https://nba.onesports.ph/read/summer-league-recap-vegas-day-2-yang-hansen-kobe-bufkin-ron-holland-ii" rel="noopener">in his debut</a>, followed by <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/trail-blazers-yang-hansen-flashes-potential-in-full-stat-line/" rel="noopener">a strong outing</a> that included 15 points on 6-of-13 shooting. He moves well for his size and shows poise on both ends of the floor. With his ability to stretch the floor and pass out of the post, Hansen gives Portland a modern frontcourt piece who can complement a star guard.</p><p>That star, of course, is Damian Lillard. After a season away, Lillard <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-damian-lillard-returning-portland-on-42-million-contract">is officially back in Rip City</a>. He signed a three-year deal to return to the team where he became a six-time All-NBA performer and one of the most beloved players in franchise history. Although he will miss the upcoming season while recovering from an Achilles injury, Lillard’s return has reenergized the Blazers and their fan base.</p><p>The idea of Lillard mentoring Hansen and eventually sharing the floor with him has fans excited. Lillard is known for elevating those around him, and Hansen’s versatility could be the perfect complement. With his ability to play out of the high post, set smart screens, and knock down open shots, Hansen gives Portland a young big man who fits the style Lillard thrives in.</p><p>Beyond the on-court pairing, there is a sense of symbolism in Hansen’s wrist tap. It is not just a tribute to Dame Time, but a sign that Hansen understands the culture and expectations in Portland. He wants to be part of what Lillard has built and help take it further. That kind of attitude matters for a team in transition, especially with young players stepping into larger roles.</p><p>Hansen’s early performances have given Portland another reason to be hopeful. With DeAndre Ayton no longer in the picture and Donovan Clingan expected to start, Hansen may begin his career in a backup role. But his court awareness, energy, and maturity suggest he could grow into a bigger role sooner than expected.</p><p>For now, Portland is watching a new chapter unfold. Lillard is home, and a promising rookie is showing flashes. And the bond between the two has already begun to form. Hansen’s nod to Dame Time is more than a highlight; it is a message. He is ready to run with the best; and in Portland, that means embracing the moment, seizing the spotlight, and delivering when it matters most.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Trail Blazers rookie Yang Hansen perfectly shows he’s ready to run with Damian Lillard

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/portland-trail-blazers/trail-blazers-news-yang-hansen-4-word-declaration-rookie-season');   ga('set', 'title', 'Trail Blazers’ Yang Hansen makes 4-word declaration before rookie season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Yang-Hansen-walks-to-the-stage-after-being-selected-as-the-16th-pick.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Trail Blazers’ Yang Hansen makes 4-word declaration before rookie season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-16T22:37:28-07:00">July 16th, 10:37pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-16T22:37:28-07:00">July 16th, 10:37pm</time><address><a>Rexwell Villas</a>Rexwell Villas is an experienced sports writer covering a variety of sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and college football. He's a Communications Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, and he claims to have JR Smith's conscience with his shot selection. He has won a basketball, a baseball, and a football championship in fantasy all within a year.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Portland Trail Blazers rookie big man <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/blazers-news-rookie-yang-hansen-drops-quote-life-away-basketball">Yang Hansen was one of the biggest surprises</a> at the 2025 NBA draft. Originally selected by the Memphis Grizzlies as the 16th overall pick in the first round, Yang immediately found himself at the center of attention.</p><p>Even Yang was <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25226842-yang-hansen-talks-shock-being-drafted-plans-treasure-every-minute-nba" rel="noopener">surprised when he got picked that high</a>.</p><p>“For sure it was a big shock for me,” Yang said <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkawW0APOdg" rel="noopener">during an interview</a> on Wednesday with Malika Andrew of ESPN (h/t Timothy Rapp of Bleacher Report)</p><p>“When Adam Silver called my name, it surprised me. I was just sitting there finishing my fried chicken. I didn’t even put my suit on. Suddenly they told me, ‘Hansen, Hansen, put your suit on,'” added the 20-year-old Yang, who was a two-time All-Star in the Chinese Basketball Association<br>(CBA).</p><p>Yang was later <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/trail-blazers-news-yang-hansen-shine-summer-league-slam">traded by the Grizzlies to the Blazers</a> along with a future pick in exchange for former Washington State Cougars star guard-forward Cedric Coward, who was the 11th overall selection in this year’s draft.</p><p>Fans have immediately branded Yang as “Chinese Jokic” because of his ability to make sweet passes despite his position and the fact that he stands<br>over seven feet.</p><p>Yang can further his basketball education in the NBA, a league that’s way tougher than any competition that he’s ever played in before. That being said, he seems <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1945703307806380420" rel="noopener">ready for the challenge</a>.</p><p>“I want the smoke,” Yang said during a recent photoshoot in a Trail Blazers unform.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“I want the smoke”</p><p>Yang Hansen is READY for his rookie season 😤</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBA</a>)<br> <a href="https://t.co/5ulELba0fy">pic.twitter.com/5ulELba0fy</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1945703307806380420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Yang is an intriguing addition to Portland. While he may still be raw, he has intriguing tools and an interesting blend of skills.</p><p>Apart from his ability to see the court and find teammates, Yang is also known for his defense and mobility. He was the 2024 CBA Defensive Player of the Year. In two seasons with the Qingdao Eagles, Yang averaged 15.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.4 blocks in 33.1 minutes through 96 games.</p><p>The Blazers now boast an exceptionally big frontcourt that also features another youngster in Donovan Clingan and the athletic (but oft-injured) Robert Williams III. Portland also has Duop Reath and the option to slide Jerami Grant to the center position if the team wants to run small-ball.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
1.8	1.0	-	0.5	-

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
1.8	1.0	-	0.5	-

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