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USA Today
22-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard on Yang Hansen: 'He got some swag to him'
'He got some swag to him.'Had to get @Dame_Lillard's thought on his new rookie teammate @Hans15Y after his official re-introductory press conference Damian Lillard was welcomed back to the Portland Trail Blazers over the weekend, and the nine-time NBA All-Star is excited to get to work with the organization and his new teammates. Lillard was waived by the Milwaukee Bucks on July 6, clearing the way for him to sign a three-year, $42 million contract with the Trail Blazers on Saturday. He spent the past two seasons with the Bucks after playing the first 11 years of his career in Portland. The Trail Blazers' all-time leading scorer is expected to miss the entire upcoming season to rehabilitate a torn left Achilles tendon sustained on April 27. He said at a press conference on Monday that he wants to take as much time as needed to ensure a full recovery on the court. Lillard watched the Trail Blazers from afar and believes they are poised to take another step forward, with a core featuring Jerami Grant, Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, among others. He is also intrigued with the addition of 7-footer Yang Hansen. "Watching him during summer league, I was like, 'This is a real player,'" Lillard told team reporter Casey Holdahl. "Especially with the way the league is now, with a lot of these bigs that teams use as a hub to play make and facilitate the offense at times. He got some swag to him, too. He got some stuff to him. I think that is good for a rookie, especially somebody coming over that is not from the United States." Yang logged four appearances in the NBA Summer League, averaging 10.8 points, five rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.2 blocks on 45.7% shooting from the field, including 33.3% from 3-point range. He scored in double figures three times, including a 15-point effort on July 15. The 16th pick established himself as one of the top international prospects with Qingdao in the CBA, the top professional league in China. He was an All-Star and All-CBA domestic first-team selection in each season, and was named the 2024 CBA Defensive Player of the Year. Yang is highly touted for his overall skill set and ability as a player who can work down low, space the floor and protect the paint. The organization has had him on its radar for the past two years and believes he can be a player who contributes at a high level on both sides of the court. Though Lillard won't play next year, his addition has created buzz around the team after the group went 23-18 to finish last season. Yang even honored Lillard by recreating his patented "Dame Time" celebration during a postgame interview last week. "He got some personality on him," Lillard said of Yang. "You can tell the way he plays and the way he goes about it, he has some real confidence."
USA Today
01-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Trail Blazers sign 16th overall pick Yang Hansen to rookie contract
Chinese center Yang Hansen, the 16th pick in the 2025 NBA draft, signed his rookie-scale contract with the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, the team announced. Yang was an All-Star in each of his two seasons with Qingdao in the CBA, the top professional league in China. He averaged 16.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, three assists and 2.6 blocks in 32.8 minutes per game across 45 appearances last season. He will make $4,422,360 next season, according to Spotrac. The 7-footer posted averages of 14.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.2 blocks during the 2023-24 season with Qingdao. He was the 2024 CBA Defensive Player of the Year and left as a two-time All-CBA domestic first team selection. The Trail Blazers acquired the draft rights to Yang, along with a 2028 first-round pick (via Orlando), a 2027 second-round pick (via Atlanta) and a 2028 second-round pick (via Sacramento), from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for the draft rights to Cedric Coward (11th pick). Yang, born in Zibo, has also represented China at the international level multiple times. He debuted with the senior team during the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 qualifiers, averaging 8.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and one block in six appearances. The recently turned 20-year-old is expected to suit up with the Trail Blazers in the NBA Summer League, beginning July 11 against the Golden State Warriors (11 p.m. EDT, ESPN2).
