Double happiness! Yang Hansen was selected 16th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers on his birthday night!

On June 26, 2025, Beijing time, Chinese player Yang Hansen was selected 16th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers during the NBA Draft.

In several mock drafts leading up to this event, Yang Hansen was expected to be chosen in the second round. It was a pleasant surprise that, right after the lottery concluded, he was picked 16th by the Blazers. The Blazers were also the first team he worked out for during this pre-draft process.

This marks the highest selection for a Chinese player in the NBA Draft since Yi Jianlian.

Yang Hansen, with his solid workout performance, unique playmaking center attributes, and the dual value of the Chinese market, successfully made a leap into the middle of the first round, breaking the recent silence of Chinese players in the draft.

Last season, Yang Hansen averaged 16.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in the CBA.