Blazers stun NBA by taking 'Chinese Jokic,' Hansen Yang, 30 picks before expected as birthday present

Hansen Yang became a viral hero during the NBA Draft Combine for making a few passes that earned him Nikola Jokic comparisons.

But there was still enough doubt that he was believed to be a second-round pick, at best.

The Portland Trail Blazers clearly thought differently. After trading down with the Memphis Grizzlies, the Blazers used the No. 16 overall pick to choose Yang on Wednesday night. He'll celebrate his birthday on Thursday, too.

He'll join a center depth chart in Portland that already includes Donovan Clingan.

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Yang is a 7-foot-1 center from China.

Check out this pass:

What a pass from Hansen Yang pic.twitter.com/sBg5jHNsg1

— Keandre Ashley (@HoopIntelllect) May 15, 2025

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Yang played the past season in the Chinese Basketball Association and averaged 16.6 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game.

How much did the NBA expect Yang to be drafted? He wasn't in the green room.

He was in the stands at Barclays Center, so he got to make the long walk down for a moment with NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

What a moment.

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