The Portland Trail Blazers came under fire for picking Yang Hansen in the first round of the NBA Draft, although Rich Paul was not surprised to hear his name called that early.
Rich Paul seems to be able to always put himself in the right place at the right time, and the fact that he is representing Yang Hansen, the Portland Trail Blazers’ 16th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, should be telling.
Yang’s selection puzzled many and was the lowest-graded pick in the entire first round. Seen by many as a second-round selection, Yang was not even invited to the green room and had to walk from the stands to the stage to shake Adam Silver’s hand.
However, Paul, his agent, seemed to think he could be the steal of the draft.
Paul is a longtime personal friend of LeBron James and is regarded as one of the most powerful figures in sports. His agency, Klutch Sports, represents some of basketball’s biggest stars and is all in on Yang and his success.
“We knew he had been rising,” said Paul on draft night. “The team is doing a great job with Hansen. But he’s also done a great job. I mean, Hansen is a good ballplayer. He was a shocker to draft, obviously, but no surprise to me.”
While Yang and the Blazers have faced their share of criticisms since the draft, there is no doubt about Yang’s upside. He has been dubbed the “Chinese Jokic,” although that is very optimistic. Still, he seems willing and able to break away from the rigidness that has held Chinese basketball players back in the past.
“He came in, and he worked hard throughout the entire process,” Paul continued. “He had a great team with him. They came over from China with him. Our team did a really good job with him, led by Jim Jiang. It’s been great. He’s a pleasure to have, so I was excited for him.”
Yang was not one of the best players in the CBA, although he was very productive, winning Rookie of the Year. China has not boasted an NBA star since Yao Ming, and their developmental system prioritizes height and fundamentals more than feel and creativity, so Yang will be strong in some areas and weak in others.
In two seasons with the Qingdao Eagles, Yang averaged 15.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks. The passing chops are certainly there, although he is not a shooting threat and is very turnover-prone.
China invests heavily in basketball, although the CBA is dominated by international talent. China, still focused on finding the next Yao Ming, tends to teach basketball like a subject in school, with a slower pace and less creativity, preventing them from keeping up with other countries that preach adaptability.
Yang is not immune to those shortcomings, although he has surrounded himself with some American influences, including Paul.
With China desperate to break into the NBA, it makes sense that Yang would have the resources to hire Paul, and there is hope that the national team, which has never found much success, will start to modernise their approach, allowing the CBA to rival the European Leagues and become a hotbed for draft talent.
