After months of battling it out in Blazers practices-whether it was one-on-one drills, half-court sets, or shooting contests-Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen are finally taking their friendly rivalry to the national stage. The two young Portland centers, who’ve sharpened each other’s skills behind closed doors, will now face off as opponents during NBA All-Star Weekend in the Rising Stars Challenge.
This Friday night in Inglewood, California, Clingan and Yang will suit up for different squads in a mini-tournament that showcases the league’s top first- and second-year players alongside the best of the G League. It’s a moment that’s been brewing for a while-and their Blazers teammate Deni Avdija, himself a first-time All-Star, is here for it.
“That’s a good competition - I like it,” Avdija said. “We see it in practice every day. And now we’re going to see it on the big stage.”
The format features 28 players split into four teams. Clingan will run with Team Melo, a group of NBA rookies and sophomores, while Yang joins Team Austin, made up of G League standouts.
The two teams will square off in the opening game at 6 p.m. PT at the Intuit Dome, with the winner moving on to the championship game later that night.
Clingan, clearly fired up, didn’t hold back his excitement earlier this week in the Blazers locker room. “Me versus Han at All-Star Weekend.
Right, Han? Yes!
I’m excited,” he said, grinning toward his teammate, who responded with a smile and a nod.
This matchup is more than just a fun All-Star exhibition-it’s also a reflection of two very different paths to the same court.
Clingan has rapidly become a cornerstone of Portland’s rebuild. Now in his second season, the 7-foot-2 center has embraced a heavy workload, transforming himself into a dominant interior presence and defensive anchor. His offseason was all about preparation-reshaping his body, sharpening his skills-and the results speak for themselves.
He’s averaging 11.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. He leads the league in contested shots per game (13.0), ranks second in total rebounds, offensive rebounds (4.6), and offensive rebounding percentage (14.9). He’s one of just eight players league-wide averaging a double-double and has grabbed 15 or more boards in a league-high 10 games this season.
Clingan’s game has expanded beyond the paint, too. He’s knocked down 49 threes this year and has hit at least one in 31 different games, showing off a growing perimeter touch that adds a new layer to his offensive arsenal.
The Rising Stars selection was a personal goal for Clingan-something he quietly aimed for after missing out last season. “I wasn’t really expecting it, but it was something I was working for,” he said. “It’s definitely something I’m proud of.”
He’ll also be reunited with a familiar face on Team Melo-San Antonio guard Stephon Castle, his former UConn teammate.
Yang’s journey, on the other hand, has been more about patience and potential.
Drafted 16th overall in 2025, the 7-foot-1 rookie from China arrived in Portland with intrigue and upside. He turned heads during Summer League and flashed promise in preseason, but has largely taken a backseat during his first NBA campaign, averaging 2.0 points, 1.7 rebounds and 7.7 minutes across 31 games.
The adjustment to the NBA hasn’t just been about basketball. It’s been about adapting to a new culture, language, and pace of play. But behind the scenes, Yang has been grinding-and his teammates and coaches have taken notice.
“He’s working hard - he really is,” said acting head coach Tiago Splitter. “Sometimes it’s hard.
You’ve been out of the rotation and then you go there for three minutes and you’ve got to perform. I told him, ‘This is not easy.
I’ve been in your position when I came to the league.’ And I was way older than him and with more experience.
So it’s not an easy situation. But he’s going to grow from this, keep working and improving.”
Yang, for his part, is staying grounded and optimistic. “The NBA is the best league in the world,” he said through an interpreter.
“It’s a good start for me to step up to a new league and I try to pick up everything fast, every day, to get better every day. Actually, I expected things to be worse than this.
Because as a rookie, I thought I might have no minutes at all on the court. But sometimes I get a chance to play a little bit.
I think that’s better than what I thought.”
While his NBA minutes have been limited, Yang has made the most of his time in the G League. In eight games with the Rip City Remix, he’s averaging 17.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.4 blocks-strong numbers that earned him a spot on the G League Rising Stars squad.
He was surprised by the selection but sees it as validation for the work he’s put in. “It is recognition for my whole year ... working and improving,” he said.
“I will take that. And I will be happy to play in front of everyone in LA.
That’s the biggest dream for any basketball player anywhere. To step onto the All-Star court to play.
I will feel really happy, just won’t believe it. I think I will feel really good.”
So when the lights go up Friday night and the ball goes up at center court, it won’t just be a Rising Stars game-it’ll be a moment of pride for two young Blazers who’ve taken very different roads to the same place. One’s already carving out his role as a franchise pillar.
The other is just starting to find his footing. But both are ready to show the league-and each other-what they’ve got.