Latest news with #YangHansen
South China Morning Post
7 days ago
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Chinese centre Yang Hansen to skip Fiba Asia Cup to focus on developing game with Portland
Mainland Chinese social media users heaped praise on the Chinese Basketball Association after the governing body announced on Thursday that promising young centre Yang Hansen would not participate in the national team's training camp or the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup, allowing him to focus on his development with the Portland Trail Blazers. Advertisement Yang, the No 16 pick at last month's NBA Draft, will attend two short training camps hosted by the Trail Blazers beginning on August 11. 'After finishing his NBA Summer League stint, Chinese men's basketball player Yang Hansen immediately reported to head coach Guo Shiqiang about his experience in the draft combine and Summer League in the United States,' the Chinese Basketball Association said in a statement. 'He applied to the national team and the Chinese Basketball Association, hoping to participate in two short-term training camps organised by the Portland Trail Blazers starting on August 11 in order to better integrate with his new team and further improve his skills. These camps are designed for rookies and players who need continued development based on their Summer League performance.' The association added that the scheduling conflict between the Trail Blazers' camps and the Fiba Men's Asia Cup, held at Jeddah from August 5 to 17, prompted a decision to prioritize Yang's long-term development. Yang Hansen said he had learned a lot from playing in in four NBA Summer League games. Photo: AP Basketball fans on social media said in unison the CBA 'deserved praises' for their decisions.
USA Today
24-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Trail Blazers' Yang Hansen to skip 2025 FIBA Asia Cup with China
Portland Trail Blazers rookie Yang Hansen will reportedly not play with the Chinese national team in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup on Aug. 5-17, according to China's Xinhua News Agency. Yang requested to skip the 31st edition of the event for the various subzones of Asia and Oceania to prepare for his upcoming rookie season in the NBA. He is set to participate in two training camps organized by the Trail Blazers beginning on Aug. 11. The 16th pick in the 2025 NBA draft helped China qualify for the tournament, averaging 8.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and one block in six appearances. The decision to skip the event was made to prioritize his long-term development. Yang was an All-Star in each of the past 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. The 7-footer debuted with the Trail Blazers 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 in four games. He scored in double figures three times, including a 15-point effort on July 15. 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 Trail Blazers have had him on their radar for the past two years and believe he can be a player who contributes at a high level on both sides of the court.
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA Fans React As Nikola Jokic "Nearly Leaked His Own Retirement" News In Wholesome Praise For Yang Hansen
NBA Fans React As Nikola Jokic "Nearly Leaked His Own Retirement" News In Wholesome Praise For Yang Hansen originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Nikola Jokic, the 30-year-old Nuggets superstar, refused to sign a contract extension with them earlier this summer. While most anticipate it is for a higher payday in the future, his recent slip-up may have made the fans fear otherwise. In the NBA's recent social media post on X, Nikola Jokic was shown a message from the 7'1 Chinese rookie Yang Hansen, who plays for the Trail Blazers. In his reaction to the rookie admitting he would ask the Serbian superstar for his autograph and a picture, Jokic unintentionally said something that raised concerns among fans. 'He's good. I'm happy that when he gets in his prime, that I'm gonna be out of the league probably, in two… nah, actually,' said Jokic as he looked into space with an 'oh no! what have I said' look on his face before changing the topic back to Hansen. The Trail Blazers rookie has played only four games in the Summer League so far, where he averaged 10.75 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.75 assists per game while shooting 45.7% from the field. 'Yes, he's talented, and we can have a picture and whatever he wants only if he plays badly against me. If I destroy him and score a lot of points, then yes. But if he does that, then no,' said Jokic hilariously. Seeing Jokic mistakenly mention a time when he would not be in the league sent shockwaves across the Nuggets fans, especially. They took to the quotes and comments section of this post and expressed their concerns and also joked about Jokic's future. "Did he almost say in two years he's going to be out of the league???" "Bro gonna retire before LeBron." "Bro nearly leaked his own retirement season in two to three years from now" "He's not resigning or taking the player option. Retiring after the 2026-2027." "Nuggets f**ked up, they thought he was gonna play until 37. At 34, he is out." "bro wants to retire in 2 years, lmfaoo dynasty starts now big fella" "Jokic casually saying he might be out of the league in 2 to 5 years, damn." "I'm going to be up all night thinking about that two-three-year slip-up." "Started to say he was going to retire in 2-3 seasons, but caught himself. Hopefully that was a mistake and not what he's actually planning." Several such mixed reactions flooded the post. At age 30, Jokic has been arguably dominating the NBA for the past five or more years. Having won an NBA championship, a Finals MVP, three regular-season MVP awards, and becoming the third player in NBA history to average a triple-double throughout the regular season, Jokic has conquered nearly every aspect of the game. He averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists in the regular season last year. Some might argue that it is better to retire at your peak than to let the stress of performing weigh on you over the years when your body is no longer at its peak. Hansen, who is only 20 years old at the moment, will likely hit his peak after the age of 26-27, and by then, Jokic will be 36 or 37 years old. A lot of veterans in the league are beyond that age right now as well. But it all depends on how long Jokic wants to play. While he wants to play Hansen right now, he seems to want to avoid him when he's in his prime. And Jokic may have shunned it out on camera as if it wasn't a serious thought in his mind, but after the age of 30, retirement becomes a looming thought in most average NBA players' heads. But Jokic isn't average, is he? When do you think it will be the right time for Jokic to retire? Let us know what you think in the comments story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Is Nikola Jokic mulling retirement? Serbian star's chance slip-up dropped major hint
Nikola Jokic, while responding to Yang Hansen's desire to have his autograph and picture, had an unintentional slip-up about his future in the league. He agreed to fulfill the rookie's desire but said he is going to be out of the league, probably, followed by an 'oops' reaction on his face. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Also, the Serbian star set an interesting condition for signing an autograph, which left everyone smiling. Yang Hansen is nicknamed 'Chinese Jokic' owing to his style quite close to the Denver Nuggets' center forward. Nikola Jokic's unintentional slip-up hinted at his future plan in NBA How long will Nikola Jokic play in the NBA? The question is something no one wants to think about. But Nikola seems to be already thinking about the same. In a recent interview, he dropped a major hint about his retirement, though unintentionally. While reacting to rookie Yang Hansen's desire to have Nikola's autograph and picture, he said: 'He's good. I'm happy that when he gets in his prime, that I'm gonna be out of the league probably, in two… nah, actually' Immediately, he realized what he said and went back to praising Yang Hansen. Though there is no official news or rumors regarding Jokic's retirement, his slip-up revealed more than what he intended to share. In the video shared on X, Jokic was shown Hansen's interview. Hansen was seen saying, 'Picture and signature, Please.' Nikola Jokic set interesting condition for signing an autograph for Yang Hansen Yang Hansen shows off a sense of humor when talking about Nikola Jokic During the interview, Nikola Jokic showed his humorous side, too. When asked if he would agree to sign an autograph and take a picture with Yang Hansen, he said jokingly: 'Yes, he's talented, and we can have a picture and whatever he wants, only if he plays badly against me. If I destroy him and score a lot of points, then yes. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But if he does that, then no.' Jokic has a formidable legacy for young players like Yang Hansen to draw inspiration from. Hansen is already making the headlines with his passing style and attack, which reminds everyone of Jokic. Also, Hansen has got the nickname 'Chinese Jokic' owing to these game traits. Hansen's fascination with the Serbian star is understandable because of his comparison to the MVP. If things are to be weighed in, Jokic is right in predicting a departure from the league, as he will be in his late 30s when Hansen reaches his prime. They may play together only if Jokic continues to play beyond the age when NBA stars usually hang up their cleats. Nikola Jokic FAQs Who coined 'Joker' nickname for Nikola Jokic? Mike Miller coined 'Joker' nickname for Nikola Jokic. How many times has Nikola Jokic won MVP? Nikola Jokic won MVP three times. Is Nikola Jokic in the Olympics? Yes, Nikola Jokic plays Olympics while representing the Serbian National team. Also Read:
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"He might be the most popular guy in Las Vegas" - Yang Hansen has been 2025 Summer League's biggest sensation
"He might be the most popular guy in Las Vegas" - Yang Hansen has been 2025 Summer League's biggest sensation originally appeared on Basketball Network. Yang Hansen may have been the biggest surprise of the 2025 NBA Draft. He was projected to go outside the first round, but the Portland Trail Blazers took a bold swing by selecting him 16th overall. But so far, the risk has paid off. Hansen has become the breakout star of the Summer League, attracting a Chinese documentary crew to Las Vegas and drawing massive social media audiences. "[Yang] might be the most popular guy in Las Vegas," Blazers Summer League coach Ronnie Burrell said, per Ben Golliver of The Washington Post. "I got to play basketball internationally, and I understand what's it like to play as a foreigner. To watch the grace and the joy he handles it with is impressive. I wasn't able to do that, and I was older than him when I was traveling abroad. I'm amazed by him." Massive Chinese following At 7'1", it's hard to miss the 20-year-old center. However, it isn't just Hansen's height that has made him popular. The fact that he is the first Chinese player selected in the first round of the NBA draft since Yi Jianlian in 2007 is enough for the world's most populous country to rally behind him. Hansen has been nothing short of a phenomenon. According to Golliver, Tencent, the Chinese media company, has a film crew following him around. It was supposedly for a 10-part documentary series, not to mention dozens of journalists from the East Asian nation covering his games. Moreover, fans from China travelled to Sin City in droves, many of them wearing his No. 16 Blazers jersey. Even more astonishing is that more than 5.2 million Chinese viewers watched Tencent's free broadcast of the Blazers vs. Memphis Grizzlies game. That's nearly five times the number of Americans who viewed Cooper Flagg's Summer League debut with the Dallas Mavericks (1.1 million). Additionally, according to Golliver, one of Hansen's Summer League games drew more than 3.4 million paid viewers, 16 times Tencent's average. "Since the draft, Portland's retail sales have increased 1,091 percent compared with 2024, and its TikTok account has collected more than 30 million views, according to a team official," wrote Golliver. "In less than a month, the Blazers have added nearly 900,000 followers on Chinese social media platforms such as Weibo and Douyin, outpacing all other NBA teams in engagement during that time period."More than a novelty Analysts and fans alike questioned the Blazers' decision to draft Hansen. Some believed the moves had more to do with marketing than basketball. Even if that were true, it's not the worst way to attract more fans. However, aside from having a massive following behind him, Hansen is very skilled as a player. He has a penchant for squeezing the ball into tight places only his teammates could reach, and a fun, nonchalant personality. In four Summer League games, Hansen averaged 10.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game before being shut down. He recorded a total of 15 assists over that span. Of course, Hansen is still raw in some aspects. He is slow on his feet has to develop an outside shot to get meaningful rotation minutes. At this point, he should be behind Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams III in Portland's depth chart, but given the latter's injury history and Clingan's offensive limitations, he might get a shot sooner than most people think. If Hansen's Summer League performance is any indication, the Blazers might have done more than stumble into a marketing win. He could be a contributor who brings something different to the table at the center position. And if he holds his own once the real games begin, Portland won't just have China's attention. They'll have everyone' story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
