NBA
Blazers’ fans want rookie Yang Hansen to have a larger role with Portland
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated28 Oct 2025
In the 2025 NBA draft, most scouts had a second-round grade on big man Yang Hansen. However, the Trail Blazers saw something in the 20-year-old and took a chance.
With the 16th pick in the 2025 NBA draft, the Trail Blazers selected Yang Hansen out of China. He made his professional debut in 2023 for Quindago Eagles in the Chinese Basketball Association. Through three games to begin the 2025-26 season for Portland, Hansen has seen limited playing time. Fans of the team want to see the rookie center have a larger role with Portland.
Will Yang Hansen ever be a starter for the Trail Blazers?
Yang Hansen plays basketball tonight 🤩🙌
POR/LAC I 9:00 PM ET on NBA League Pass! pic.twitter.com/7remDZn84m
— NBA (@NBA) October 27, 2025
Starting at center for the Portland Trail Blazers in 2025-26 is second-year pro Donovan Clingan. As a rookie last season, Clingan played in 67 of the Blazers’ 82 games and made 37 starts. He averaged 6.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. To begin the 2025-26 season, Donovan Clingan is the starting center for Portland. Through just three games, he’s averaging 11.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game. Clingan plays roughly 25.5 minutes per game this season for the Trail Blazers.
On the team’s depth chart, rookie Yang Hansen is listed as Donovan Clingan’s backup. However, veterans like Jerami Grant and Deni Avdija are getting playing time at center over Hansen. The coaching staff may still be waiting for the rookie to develop. Coming out of the draft, Yang Hansen has proven he has a ton of raw talent. His skill level for a big man is undeniable, but the 20-year-old must polish his game before he earns the trust of the coaching staff.
Yang Hansen Is A Triumph Of Imagination (@jtiendana on how his strengths could make him a star, but his weaknesses could prevent him from even being a starter) https://t.co/VgSnHvfFao
— RealGM (@RealGM) October 27, 2025
Between the summer league and preseason, Yang Hansen made 10 appearances for the Trail Blazers. In those games, he averaged 15.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. Those were similar to his statistics with the Quindago Eagles in the Chinese Basketball Association. For now, Yang Hansen will continue to be a long-term project for the Trail Blazers. They are not desperate for depth at center to begin the 2025-26 season.
Yang Hansen was the first Chinese player to be drafted in the first round since Yi Jianlian in 2007. For those unfamiliar with Yang Hansen, he represents the modern-day big man. Think of players like Nikola Jokic and Aleperen Sengun. The rookie big man still has an uphill battle to earn playing time and the trust of the coaching staff. For now, Hansen is averaging 6.8 minutes across the team’s first three games. Fans are eager to see the first-round pick get more action. Portland’s next game is Wednesday, October 29, vs. the Jazz.
