In a move that left basketball fans worldwide buzzing, the Portland Trail Blazers selected 19-year-old Chinese center Yang Hansen with the 14th pick in the NBA Draft—a major leap from his projected second-round status! 🚀
Standing at 7'1" with guard-like agility, Yang becomes China's third-highest NBA draft pick ever, following legends Yao Ming (2002) and Yi Jianlian (2007). The draft room erupted as NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced the pick, with analysts calling it "the sleeper move of the night."
🏀 Why it matters: Yang's meteoric rise—from dominating China's CBA youth leagues to becoming Asia's top draft prospect—signals a new era for international hoops talent. His signature no-look passes and rim-protecting skills have already drawn comparisons to Nikola Jokić!
Chinese basketball fans flooded Weibo with 🔥 emojis after the selection, while NBA scouts praised Yang's "unicorn potential" to revolutionize modern big-man play. The Trail Blazers' GM later tweeted a photo of Yang's jersey with the caption: "The future starts now."
