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Jaden McDaniels welcomes Yang Hansen to the NBA with vicious poster

McDaniels detonated over the Trail Blazers' rookie center in the season opener on Wednesday.
Will Ragatz|
Sep 29, 2025; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) poses for a photograph as part of media day at Target Center.
Sep 29, 2025; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) poses for a photograph as part of media day at Target Center. | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

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Minnesota Timberwolves

Jaden McDaniels just delivered Yang Hansen's "Welcome to the NBA" moment.

In the second quarter of Wednesday's season opener between the Timberwolves and Trail Blazers, McDaniels drove to the rim, rose up, and detonated over Portland's rookie center with a vicious poster slam.

Usually it's Anthony Edwards who supplies the poster dunks for the Timberwolves, but McDaniels is fully capable of delivering them as well. The 6'9" wing can get up there, and it helps his dunking ability that he has a wingspan of close to seven feet.

Hansen, a native of China, was drafted by the Blazers with the 16th overall pick in this year's NBA draft, one pick before the Wolves took French big man Joan Beringer. Hansen is 20 years old and listed at 7'1" and 270 pounds. Prior to the draft, most analysts projected him to be a second-round selection, but the Blazers felt they wouldn't get him if they didn't pull the trigger at 16.

There's a lot of excitement around Hansen's long-term potential after his performance in Summer League. He's already in Portland's rotation and has a chance to be quite good in the future.

But in his first NBA game, he learned a lesson about the league from McDaniels.

Back in 2020, the Wolves took Edwards first overall and drafted McDaniels 28th. The latter has proven to be an outstanding sidekick for Minnesota's superstar guard. McDaniels made an All-Defensive team in the 2023-24 season and averaged a career-high 12.2 points per game last season. There's optimism that he'll take another step offensively in his sixth NBA campaign.

The Wolves trailed the Blazers 61-57 at halftime when this story was published. McDaniels had 10 points and three blocks in the first half of action.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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