Yang Hansen had a productive — and victorious — debut with the Rip City Remix.
The Portland Trail Blazers rookie center recorded eight points, 13 rebounds and four assists Friday night at Mullett Arena, helping the Remix earn a come-from-behind 107-104 win over the Valley Suns in Tempe, Arizona.
Hansen, who was assigned to the Remix on Thursday, started and played 29 minutes in his first NBA G League outing, during which the Remix outscored the Suns 68-45 in the second half to rally for a victory.
The 7-foot-2 center from China started strong, making his first two shots, including a driving two-handed dunk through the heart of the Suns defense. He went on to struggle from the field, making just 4 of 11 field goals and missing both of his three-point attempts.
But he contributed in other ways during the comeback.
During one stretch in the third quarter, Hansen snared an offensive rebound and completed a layup, then recorded back-to-back assists. The first came as he directed Rip City’s offense from the top of key, where he tossed a pretty bounce pass through traffic that resulted in a layup. The second came on a no-look pass during a fast break.
Later, in the fourth quarter, Hansen added an assist on a nice bullet pass on a back-door cut.
It was the first game Hansen has played since Oct. 29, when he scored two points in four minutes during a Blazers win at the Utah Jazz. Hansen opened the season in Portland’s rotation at backup center, averaging 1.8 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.4 blocks in roughly six minutes over the first five games. But when veteran center Robert Williams III returned from injury, Hansen was relegated to the bench and has not played since.
He’s expected to play again for the Remix on Sunday, when they play the South Bay Lakers in El Segundo, California, then rejoin the Blazers when the team returns from a five-game East Coast trip.
Watch Hansen’s highlights below:
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.