Yang Hansen spent much of his first year with the Portland Trail Blazers as more of a name than a presence, but he’s back in Las Vegas trying to change that.
A year after going in the 2025 NBA Draft and drawing the “Chinese Jokic” label from some, Hansen has returned to NBA Summer League with a chance to remind people why he was such a fascinating pick in the first place. For most of his rookie season, he was largely out of sight and out of mind because he couldn’t get run at the NBA level, leaving the question of what he might become unanswered.
On Monday night, he took a real step toward answering it. Hansen put up 18 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and handed out 5 assists, while missing just one shot from the floor.
18 PTS (7-8 FGM)
10 REB
5 AST pic.twitter.com/68Co9whJfX
- NBA (@NBA) July 14, 2026
Portland still doesn’t appear to have a major role waiting for him this season, but every strong showing in this setting helps his cause. Hansen isn’t built to be a big-time leaper, yet his skill level is obvious, and he has a knack for finding the right spots on the floor.
He was always going to need time to adjust to the pace of the NBA game. If he can keep dominating in Summer League, that would be a meaningful sign that he’s moving closer to the player the Trail Blazers believe he can become.
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