Chinese basketball player Yang Hansen, 20, has been selected in the 2025 NBA Draft, becoming the ninth Chinese player to achieve this milestone, following legends like Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian. The Portland Trail Blazers chose Yang with the 16th overall pick after acquiring him from the Memphis Grizzlies.
Yang, a centre player who is 7 feet and 1 inch tall, was projected to be a second-round pick but surprised many with his early selection. He has significant professional experience, having played for the Qingdao Eagles in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) over the past two seasons.
In his last season, he averaged an impressive 16.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2.6 blocks per game, shooting 58.6 percent from the floor.
Yang was honoured as the CBA’s Rookie of the Year during his first season, CBA’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 and has earned All-Star honours.
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According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, a source from the Denver Nuggets referred to Yang as a Chinese Nikola Jokić – the renowned Serbian centre player at the Denver Nuggets.
The NBA Draft is an annual event where NBA teams select eligible players from college basketball, international leagues, the NBA G League, and youth professional leagues to join their rosters.
The draft consists of two rounds, with 30 teams participating, and the order is determined by a lottery system for non-playoff teams, giving those with worse records a better chance at top picks. This process is essential for maintaining competitive balance within the league and allows organisations to bring in new talent.
This year’s draft is taking place between 25 and 26 June at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
