PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - Portland Trail Blazers centers Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen have been selected to participate in the 2026 Rising Stars Challenge at NBA All-Star Weekend next month.
The roster for the single-elimination tournament is comprised of 28 NBA rookies and sophomores - including seven players representing the G League - who will be divided among four teams.
Clingan, an NBA All-Rookie selection last season, has capitalized on a promising rookie year with a stellar sophomore campaign.
The 21-year-old is averaging 11 points and 11 rebounds over 42 games, taking over as Portland’s full-time starting center after the team reached a buyout agreement with Deandre Ayton over the summer.
Clingan, the seventh-overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft out of UConn, has notably expanded his offensive range from his rookie to sophomore season. After shooting less than one attempt per game from three-point range as a rookie, the 7-footer is averaging nearly three attempts per game in 2025-26.
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While the results have been mixed - he entered Monday shooting 31% from beyond the arc - it’s a notable expansion in Clingan’s game. He attempted just nine three-pointers over 74 games in college.
Yang, meanwhile, has seen a limited role in his rookie season, after being drafted 16th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft.
The Chinese native was selected as one of seven players representing the G League in the exhibition. The 20-year-old has struggled in 26 regular season appearances with the Blazers, but has fared much better over eight games with the G League’s Rip City Remix.
With the Remix, Yang has averaged 17 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and over a block per game.
The Rising Stars Challenge will take place Friday, Feb. 13 in Los Angeles as part of NBA All-Star Weekend. The full list of players selected is [available here](https://www.nba.com/news/2026-rising-stars-roster-announcement).
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