26-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Chinese basketball rising star Yang to enter 2025 NBA draft, ready ‘mentally, physically'
China's teenage centre Yang Hansen plans to enter this year's NBA draft, he announced on Saturday, saying he wanted to 'showcase myself on a bigger stage'.
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The 7ft 1 inch 19-year-old led club side Qingdao Eagles to the quarter-finals of this season's Chinese Basketball Association play-offs, where they lost a best-of-five series 3-2 to the Zhejiang Lions this week.
Yang called the decision the 'most important in my life' in an interview with state media.
He has already signed with Klutch Sports Group, a prominent agency founded by Rich Paul, known for representing NBA stars such as LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and De'Aaron Fox.
'Now, I believe it's time to improve myself and learn more at a higher level. I want to express my gratitude to my club and our fans for their unwavering support,' he said.
Yang Hansen goes for a lay-up during China's game against Guam in the first round of the Fiba Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers.
Multiple NBA mock draft websites have predicted that Yang, who has been praised on some of the draft reports for his offensive post moves, court vision, passing instincts and ability to act as a rim protector, could go in the second round.
