Yang Hansen Goes Viral: 7'1″ Chinese Rookie Dominates NBA Summer League, Trail Blazers Fans Ecstatic

LAS VEGAS — Portland Trail Blazers rookie center Yang Hansen is turning NBA Summer League into his personal coming-out party, and search interest in the 7-foot-1 Chinese prodigy is exploding. Selected 16th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, the 20-year-old has already drawn “Chinese Jokić” comparisons thanks to a rare blend of size, vision and charisma that has scouts, fans and algorithms buzzing. Through his first two games in Las Vegas, Hansen has piled up 20 points, eight rebounds and eight assists while shooting 47 percent from the floor, showcasing the pinpoint back-door passes and dribble-hand-off chemistry that made Portland reach on draft night. One highlight—a no-look bounce pass that threaded three defenders—went viral within minutes, catapulting his name to the top of NBA social-media traffic charts. Head coach Chauncey Billups has wasted no time running offense through the rookie. “Yang’s basketball IQ is off the charts,” Billups remarked after practice. “He sees cuts before they happen, and that unlocks shooters who didn’t know they were open.” Opponents are already adjusting by blitzing the high post, a sign of respect usually reserved for seasoned All-Stars. Off the court, Hansen’s magnetism is just as valuable to the Trail Blazers’ brand. Photos of the Qingdao native in a self-designed “Handsome & Young” tee have racked up six-figure engagement numbers on X and Instagram, and his candid request for a selfie and autograph from idol Nikola Jokić delighted international media outlets. The franchise’s Chinese-language social channels have doubled their follower count since draft night, an early indicator of the global market impact Portland envisioned. For all the flash, the scouting report isn’t flawless. Hansen hit just 33 percent of his three-pointers last season with the Qingdao Eagles and is 1-for-5 from deep in Vegas, mirroring Jokić’s rookie-year range but leaving room for growth. Portland player-development staff have instituted a daily regimen of pick-and-pop reps and core-strength drills aimed at adding a reliable perimeter weapon before Opening Night. Depth-chart politics could dictate a gradual NBA rollout. With Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams III ahead of him, Hansen may open the regular season as the second-unit facilitator—yet that could become a secret weapon for a Blazers roster hungry for half-court creativity. General manager Joe Cronin called him “a very, very unique talent … the kind of swing that changes a franchise if it connects”. Whether he earns minutes immediately or marinates behind veterans, Yang Hansen has already won the hardest battle: capturing attention in a crowded rookie class. His next Summer League test comes against the Pelicans, whose switch-heavy defense should provide a fresh data point for analysts tracking his learning curve. If the early returns hold, Portland’s mid-first-round gamble may soon look like the steal of the 2025 NBA Draft—and a rising search-engine star poised to anchor headlines all season long.