Blazers' Plan for Yang Hansen in Rookie Season Revealed

The Trail Blazers' exciting rookie now has a defined role on the team.

Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Yang Hansen walks to the stage after being selected as the 16th pick by the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Portland Trail Blazers decided to draft Yang Hansen with the 16th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft after making a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies. He was projected to slide into the second round.

Portland saw enough in his raw talent while playing in China to take a chance on him. He looked good throughout Summer League and looked like someone who can develop into a good player.

The Trail Blazers already have three other centers on the roster, so it's a very crowded position in terms of fighting for playing time.

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Portland is hoping that Hansen is able to earn a spot in the rotation next year as a rookie. He is a player who could be the backup right away behind Donovan Clingan.

The Blazers are hoping to make a push into the playoffs next season after falling just short last season. They are hoping that Hansen is able to bring his passing, finishing around the rim, and shot blocking off the bench.

Hansen showed off all of those skills during Summer League. He will certainly make mistakes as a rookie, but the Blazers are prepared for him to do that. Hansen will get a chance to make a lot of plays.

Portland still has a lot of young players on the team, even though they added Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday. Lillard won't play at all next season, but Holiday will be a big part of the team.

Hansen has a lot of raw talent, but he needs playing time at the NBA level in order to completely develop his skills. The Blazers know not to expect too much from him as a rookie.

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Portland still has Robert Williams III on the roster, so that is Hansen's primary competition when it comes to earning a rotation spot. He hasn't been able to stay healthy, so Hansen might have the upper hand.

Hansen didn't shoot a ton of threes while in China, but that is something that the Blazers want him to be able to do as he develops into an NBA player. He made 33 percent of them last year on just 1.1 attempts per game.

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