The Path Blazers’ resolution to pick Yang Hansen sixteenth general within the 2025 draft has continued to look more and more confounding with the passing of time. It was clear from day one which he was a mission decide that wanted persistence, however there was a regarding lack of encouraging outcomes throughout his rookie season. Portland followers have been searching for clarity on the thought course of behind choosing him to little avail.
However a brand new hope has arisen. Watching the playoffs these days, a roster development pattern has cropped up that helps make the Hansen selection make sense. Measurement, or extra particularly, measurement intersected with talent, is king proper now across the NBA, and Portland’s younger middle supplies that.
Expert bigs are operating the league within the playoffs
Wanting on the remaining groups within the postseason— Oklahoma Metropolis, San Antonio, New York, Cleveland, and Detroit— all of them have one thing in frequent, personnel-wise. Every of the golf equipment has sizable frontcourts and the choice to run double-big lineups. On prime of that, the massive males on these groups are extra than simply conventional paint beasts. Most of them have some degree of ball expertise: taking pictures, driving, passing, and even all the above.
The Thunder are the prime instance of this phenomenon. Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Jaylin Williams are all very versatile gamers on each ends. Holmgren is a complicated scorer at each degree who can oscillate seamlessly between the 4 and 5 spots. Hartenstein is a seasoned hub passer with a high-low motion really feel. Williams can shoot the three and dish candy dimes from the put up.
As talked about, although, OKC doesn’t have the expert massive market cornered. San Antonio has Victor Wembanyama and Luke Kornet. The Knicks have Karl-Anthony Cities. Cleveland has Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, and Thomas Bryant. Detroit has Jalen Duren, Paul Reed, and Isaiah Stewart. Even groups which have already been eradicated have guys of this mould, like Naz Reid in Minnesota and Onyeka Okongwu in Atlanta.
All of these gamers are elsewhere on the talent spectrum, however all of them do one thing that’s totally different than the stereotypical middle, they usually’re additionally all massive dudes. Fortunately for the Path Blazers, Yang Hansen matches that description, too.
Followers must be excited, not discouraged, about Yang Hansen
It’s true that Hansen is extraordinarily uncooked (like, not-an-NBA-player ranges of uncooked) proper now. However a couple of issues are basically true about him that ought to reassure his skeptics.
At the beginning, he’s 7’1” and weighs 270 kilos. Often, guys who’re that massive can play within the league. That doesn’t take a rocket scientist to grasp.
Secondly, he has aptitude to his recreation that almost all gamers of his measurement don’t. He has actual passing imaginative and prescient. He has taking pictures potential. He can create his personal shot within the put up; he’s not reliant on others making performs for him.
It’s these talents paired along with his monster body that paint the image of a promising future for Hansen. Giants like him have excessive flooring within the league and change into impactful items most of the time, except they’ve terrible really feel, coordination, and contact, like Tacko Fall and Jamarion Sharp. Yang doesn’t fall in that bucket.
Lastly, don’t neglect, he’s solely 20 years previous! These three information, together with the lineup traits within the 2026 playoffs, ought to get you feeling extra enthusiastic about Yang Hansen. Don’t stop on the child simply but.
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