The Portland Trail Blazers didn't spend two years scouting Yang Hansen and shock the basketball world by selecting him with the 16th overall pick just to keep their expectations modest. With their admittedly unconventional pick comes a bold plan: Portland wants to make him the next Nikola Jokic.
That's already been apparent in Hansen's limited summer league sample size with the Blazers, as they're putting the ball in his hands and allowing him to play his game.
Here are Hansen's stats in his first four summer league games with the Blazers:
- 10 points, five assists, four rebounds, three blocks at Warriors (W)
- 10 points, five rebounds, three assists, one block vs Grizzlies (L)
- 15 points, three rebounds, two assists, two blocks at Pelicans (W)
- Eight points, eight rebounds, five assists, three blocks vs Rockets (W)
Hansen has been the talk of the Summer League, whether it's his meme-worthy quotes, impressive stats, or the eye test that suggests Portland may have gotten away with the steal of the draft.