Following the 2025 NBA Draft, Portland Trail Blazers fans are swirling in a cyclone of confusion, posting their own versions of “what the @#$*” and questioning everything from Joe Cronin’s judgment to the shape of the Earth.
The Blazers just traded away the No. 11 pick… and then sent shockwaves through the basketball universe by selecting Chinese center Hansen Yang at 16—a name most analysts didn’t expect to hear until well into the second round.
If that’s got you spiraling: take a breath. Count to five. Maybe put down the pitchfork. I’m here to offer a reason for hope.
Think Back
Remember when we traded for Deni Avdija and half of NBA Twitter screamed “overpay!”?
Now? It’s one of the best trades we’ve made in years.
Remember when we got Toumani Camara tossed in as a throw-in, and the collective reaction was “Who?” That move aged like a fine Dame step-back three.
So… who deserves the credit?
Let me introduce you (or reintroduce you) to Mike Schmitz—the man behind the man.
Draft Whisperer Turned Decision Maker
Three years ago, Joe Cronin made what might be the most important hire of his tenure: Schmitz, then one of the most respected draft analysts in the game.
He made a name for himself breaking down film for Yahoo Sports. He elevated that game at ESPN, becoming the go-to guy for international scouting and deep-dive prospect analysis. And now?
He works for us.
If you’re a fan of Deni, Toumani, Scoot, Shaedon, or Donovan Clingan, then you’re already a fan of Schmitz’s eye. He was high on these guys before the rest of us even heard their names. His fingerprints are all over the Blazers’ recent youth movement.
Which brings us back to Hansen Yang.
Trust the Vision
This wasn’t just a reach. It was a swing for the fences—a career-defining gamble by a front office betting on upside, talent, and something only a true scout sees before the rest of us do.
Oh, and by the way? Hansen Yang turned 20 today.
He’s not just a mystery box. He’s a young, versatile, seven-foot mystery box with miles of runway ahead. That kind of upside doesn’t come around often—and Schmitz clearly believes there’s something rare under the wrapping.
Also: the Blazers didn’t just move back. They picked up a future first and two seconds in the process. That’s real value.
Maybe Yang turns into a rotation player. Maybe he’s more than that. But whatever he becomes, this pick wasn’t made in a vacuum. It was made by a team—and a scout—who’ve already hit on more than a few bets.
So I’m staying on the “In Mike Schmitz We Trust” train.
Are you?
Let me know in the comments.