The Portland Trail Blazers pulled off one of the biggest surprises in the first round of the 2025 NBA draft by adding Qingdado center Yang Hansen with the No. 16 overall pick.

The center was considered by draft analysts as a rising prospect, but no one projected him to be a first-round pick.

Unlike most NBA players who develop their passion for basketball early, Portland Trail Blazers first-round draft pick Yang Hansen didn’t take to the sport until he was about 13. “Before that, he didn’t want to run so much,