Warriors Interested in 7-foot-2 Phenom Before 2025 NBA Draft

The Golden State Warriors brought in an international big man for a workout ahead of the NBA Draft

Jan 18, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts against the Washington Wizards during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

The NBA Draft will take place over the next two days, the first round being held on Wednesday night, and the second round held on Thursday. The Golden State Warriors only hold the 41st overall pick entering the draft, and may have to get creative to find a player who can impact their team.

They've worked out a number of intriguing prospects in recent weeks, such as Duke's Sion James, but they've brought in an international phenom for a visit recently.

Warriors conducted a pre-draft visit last week with two-time CBA All-Star center Hansen Yang, sources tell the Chronicle. Golden State picks 41st in this week’s NBA draft.
— Sam Gordon (@BySamGordon) June 24, 2025

Sam Gordon of the San Francisco Chronicle has reported that the Warriors recently worked out Hansen Yang, a 7'2" center who has been a two-time All-Star in the Chinese Basketball Association. Playing for the Qingdao Eagles this season, he averaged 16.6 PPG, 10.5 RPG, and 2.6 BPG in 45 games. He even attempted a three-pointer per game, hitting them at a 33.3% rate.

He's a surprisingly good passer, but his slow feet could make him an odd fit in today's NBA. He'll have to almost exclusively play in drop coverage, and even then, he might get blown by in the NBA. But he popped at the NBA Combine, finishing one of the scrimmages with 11 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds, and a block. Those assist numbers are what intrigues teams most.

Yang has drawn comparisons to Nikola Vucevic, Dewayne Dedmon, and a bigger Domantas Sabonis. He's a projected second-round pick, so comparisons to two All-Stars like Vucevic and Sabonis are lofty, but Dedmon is a perfectly reasonable comparison, and getting a Dedmon-type player in the second round would be decent value.

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