“Chinese Jokic”? The Enigmatic Rise of Hansen Yang

He stood in the draft stands, stunned—Yang Hansen, the 7‑1 center from Qingdao, had just been called 16th overall. Cameras caught him rising to his feet, trembling, as the Portland Trail Blazers claimed him in a trade that shook the mock‑draft world.

In China, he was a titan: Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, averaging 16.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2.6 blocks per game. Then, in the NBA combine, whispers began—“Chinese Jokic”—a nod to his unorthodox gravitas.

Poised Pivot or Gambit?
Across continents, experts charted his profile: an imposing post scorer with footwork smooth enough to rival old‑school greats, a pass-first vision rare in a center . Yet beneath that promise lay creaking knees: mobility that crept, not sprinted; defense that stumbled outside the paint . This is a body caught between eras—too heavy for perimeter swiftness, too classical for today’s pace.

“He thrives as a change‑of‑pace five,” scouts told HoopsHype, yet flagged limitations: linear rise, limited perimeter agility, an NBA shooter only in gestation . Their concern: can he survive in lithe, switching schemes or become a luxe luxury in Portland’s frontcourt?

A Signal in the Static

There’s an electricity in how the Blazers invested a top‑20 pick—and future assets—on a player mocked in the 30s and 40s. Their director of scouting, Mike Schmitz, built his reputation on unearthing international gold—Deni Avdija, Scoot Henderson—and fans are urged to trust his global ear.

In summer league, glimpses were electric: eight assists in two games, a hook‑and‑kick wizard navigating a crowded lane—bits of the Jokic blueprint, reimagined . And yet, a dunk here, a dime there: dazzling, but not definitive.

Between Myth and Material

Call him “Chinese Jokic” and you summon vision and hype; call him “Chinese Hakeem” and you question whether the subtleties will translate. Already, whispers on Reddit say he’s the smoothest post footworker since Okafor, yet “too slow to switch.”

His blueprint remains unwritten. Can he confound skeptics by evolving into a mid‑range scoring threat? Or will his gravity anchor the lane, a static post requiring others to orbit around his immobile orbit?

As summer ends and training camps loom, the question becomes urgent: is Hansen a hidden gem layered with untapped artistry—or a myth inflated by mere height and a must‑have narrative?

He may yet carve out a role—but what shape will that take? This draft-night whisper, this traded pick with so much riding on him—is it the start of a revolution or the final note of a swan song?