'Hansen, put your suit on' - Yang Hansen recalls how his call as NBA Draft pick caught him off guard

Time of India

4 days ago

Yang Hansen recalls how his call as NBA Draft pick caught him off guard (Image Credit: Getty Images)
Yang Hansen, the Portland Trail Blazers' 16th overall draft pick, revisited the moment when he was called on stage on the NBA 2025 draft night. Unexpected that he would be making the list of draft picks so early, he was entirely unprepared for the moment.
He was so unprepared that the people around had to remind him, 'Hansen, Hansen, put your suit on.' Hansen shared his funny state at that moment, and he took a couple of seconds to process the announcement and make himself presentable.
Yang Hansen is being called the precious find of the Portland Trail Blazers because of his staggering performance in the Summer League. He has even won the nickname 'Chinese Jokic' because of his ball passing abilities comparable to the MVP.
Yang Hansen said he was entirely unprepared when his name was called on NBA Draft night
Blazers rookie Yang Hansen describes draft night experience and career goals | NBA Today
The night of the NBA draft 2025 was full of emotional moments. However, things were quite different at Yang Hansen's stand when he was called in the first round unexpectedly. Revisiting the moment, Hansen shared with ESPN's Malika Andrews:
'For sure it was a big shock for me. When Adam Silver called my name, it surprised me. I was just sitting there finishing my fried chicken. I didn't even put my suit on. Suddenly they told me, 'Hansen, Hansen, put your suit on.'"
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Yes, while the other draft picks might be busy waiting for their name with fingers crossed, Hansen was busy doing, guess what? Eating fried chicken.
None of the experts had anticipated the early selection of Hansen, including the player himself. However, the selection has proved to be a smart move for the Portland Trail Blazers. The two-time All-Star game selectee in China has shown immense potential over three games.
Yang Hansen has lived up to expectations of Portland Trail Blazers' GM Jim Cronin
With impressive numbers of 11.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.0 blocks per game in the last three games, Yang Hansen has proved that the Portland Trail Blazers have made the right choice. Even before the games, the Blazers' GM, Jim Cronin, was confident about Hansen's potential.
Jim Cronin, at media availability after the NBA 2025 draft, showed full faith in his decision. He called Hansen 'very very unique talent', highlighting his 7'2' height fit for the game coupled with his ball passing IQ, high-end skill-set and young age of 20 years being his other positives.
Watch Live: Blazers GM Joe Cronin discusses Yang Hansen pick, trade after NBA Draft
When the press asked GM, 'When did you fall in love with Yang Hansen?', he sincerely replied that they have been scouting the young international talent for about two years. He explained:
'We've had, you know, we had a scout identify him during one of his under-18 events and
then we sent Mike and Sergy, our two assistant GMs, over to China that fall to go scout him live. When they came back from that trip, they left um very very impressed and we were actually hoping he'd be in last year's draft.
(But) he didn't declare last year, so we continued to scout him for the last year, um, this last past season.'
He continued, 'As we studied him more and more throughout this spring, you know, we saw him at the combine, of course, met with him at the combine, and then we're able to bring him in here, and had a good workout here, and were able to spend more time with him here. So, you know, between our scouts identifying him early on and then some of our big key decision makers seeing him very early on, I felt like we had a big advantage in uh our scouting process and building our book on him as a player.
'
Yang Hansen's game style reminds everyone of
Nikola Jokic
Yang Hansen is now lovingly being called 'Chinese Jokic.' The comparison is being done owing to his style of game, which is quite similar to the Serbian MVP. From reel-passes to rim selection and scoring threes, Hansen is making the mark in every aspect.
The hype around Hansen bearing a resemblance to Jokic reached another level when a picture of Hansen walking through the tunnel was posted by the Portland Trail Blazers.
In the picture, Hansen, entering the tube, has Jokic's picture on his side, making an interesting angle. The Blazers captioned it as, 'Locked.'
Yang Hansen is young, athletic, ambitious achiever and full of talent, undoubtedly. His numbers in the last three games are testament to his immense potential. When he will meet the Serbian star, Nikola Jokic, on the court, it is sure to serve some magical moments to the fans.
Meanwhile, the fried chicken story about the NBA draft night shows the innocent and boyish side of the Trail Blazers' 16th overall draft. Hope his natural innocence remains intact amidst all the hoopla the NBA career brings along.
Also Read:
Who is Yang Hansen? Here's what you need to know about Portland Trail Blazers' shocking first-round pick
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