Yang Hansen of the Portland Trail Blazers is guarded by Quinten Post of the Golden State Warriors in the second quarter at Chase Center in San Francisco, California, U.S., October 8, 2025. /VCG
Yang Hansen of the Portland Trail Blazers is guarded by Quinten Post of the Golden State Warriors in the second quarter at Chase Center in San Francisco, California, U.S., October 8, 2025. /VCG
Yang Hansen's NBA preseason debut for the Portland Trail Blazers was a study in promise and punctuation errors: he showed enough to justify Portland's bold first‑round pick, but not enough to silence the sceptics. The Blazers fell 129‑123 to the Golden State Warriors in the preseason opener; Yang played 21 minutes, fouled out, and finished with four points, four rebounds, one assist and four turnovers.
He looked understandably tentative at first but settled into the game in the second half, flashing the athleticism and rim‑presence that explain Portland's investment. Still, it was a mixed bag. The 20‑year‑old's pace remains a work in progress, and that deficit was exposed repeatedly by the Warriors.
His debut offered encouraging glimpses and clear tasks. If Yang can quicken his lateral recovery, refine his rotation reads and learn how to play his strengths within a reduced role, Portland's gamble may yet look prescient. Right now it looks like a prospect with an upside and a checklist.
After the game, Yang admited there is a lot he needs to improve. "I think this pre-season game was much more physical than the summer league. I have to do better in competitive and physical games. I need to make amends in many aspects and improve in future trainings," he observed.
"I didn't actually feel nervous but it was unreal to me. When facing Steph Curry, I thought he was like a figure from the 2K NBA video game. I usually managed the Warriors in the video game, so it was surreal to me when I actually saw Green and Curry against me."