US media: Yang Hansen improves three points, which is surprising. He may be the next cornerstone of the Trail Blazers

July 17th News Today, the Chronicle published an article talking about Chinese player Yang Hansen, and the following is some of the content.

The Portland Trail Blazers took a unique approach in the draft, using their only pick to select a 7-foot-1 center. The young player not only has excellent field vision and dominance in the interior, but also demonstrates potential in shooting from outside.

Soon, people began to compare him to Denver Nuggets superstar Jokic. Although it is too early to draw conclusions, his low-post singles, passing intelligence and offensive diversity do remind you of Jokic's early technical characteristics. Obviously, Portland hopes he can grow to the core of the team’s offense, especially as the league increasingly tends toward big players who can shoot, pass and possess the ball.

In the summer league, the rookie's performance quickly attracted widespread attention. He impressed scouts and fans in Las Vegas, becoming one of the most eye-catching new stars in this summer league. In the game against the Pelicans, he contributed 15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks, and made 3 of 6 three-pointers, further increasing the outside world's expectations for him. He can both protect the rim and have the ability to open up space, making the Trail Blazers' offense smoother in the summer league. His progress on three-pointers—one considered his biggest weakness—makes him seem to have the strength to compete in the NBA.

For a team that has been accumulating backcourt depth over the past few years, bringing in a high potential center could be a turning point. Since Nurkic left the team, the Trail Blazers have been lacking a long-term five-point solution, and his development may reshape the future of the team.

Although it remains to be seen whether Young can quickly adapt to the high-intensity games of the NBA season, his early performance has changed people's perceptions. The seemingly confusing choice is now seen as a possible bargaining pick in a draft, and may even be the biggest gain of the 2025 draft.

In a league where innovation often outweighs imitation, the Trail Blazers may have just found their next cornerstone player. If he continues to develop along this trajectory, Portland's bold choice may be remembered as the smartest decision in this year's draft.