Team reporter: Yang Hansheng has already won the affection of Portland fans and is a potential offensive centerpiece for the Trail Blazers.

On August 26 Beijing time, Trail Blazers reporter Reese Kunz highlighted that Yang Hansheng provides the team with a distinctive value unmatched by other players, giving Portland an offensive focal point at last. Here is Kunz’s article—

Although Yang Hansheng has not yet participated in a significant official NBA game, he has already captured the hearts of Portland Trail Blazers supporters.

During the Las Vegas Summer League, Yang demonstrated promising potential. Across four games, he averaged 10.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game, with shooting percentages of 46% from the field, 33% from three-point range, and 88% from the free-throw line. Admittedly, the Summer League sample size is limited, but his basketball IQ—especially his court vision—stood out from the very beginning.

There are understandable concerns about whether Yang’s overall style can transition smoothly from the CBA to the more competitive and physically demanding NBA (though we believe these doubts will be dispelled as soon as the new season starts in October). Still, one thing is undeniable:No matter the level of competition, his passing skills can seamlessly adapt to the NBA stage.

In fact, if he plays alongside athletic players like Avdija and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Yang’s elite passing ability might improve even further. It’s worth noting that he averaged 3.8 turnovers per game in the Las Vegas Summer League. As team reporter Sean Highkin pointed out, some of these turnovers stemmed from teammates being unable to catch or handle his highly creative passes.

Highkin wrote in his report: “Some of his Summer League turnovers happened because the passes to players cutting to the basket were beyond the catching ability of most of the Las Vegas teammates. More than once, the force behind such passes made me think, ‘If it were Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Avdija, they’d definitely catch this.’”

Turnovers may be part of Yang’s “growing pains” as a newcomer to the NBA, but allowing him to make these mistakes is worthwhile—because his versatile offensive style has already drawn comparisons to Nikola Jokic. These efforts are crucial to unlocking his potential. Jokic is a unique superstar, but both share excellent footwork and the rare combination of height, build, and passing ability that enables them to easily read defenses and make precise tactical decisions.

Last season, the Trail Blazers’ offense was mediocre—their offensive efficiency rating (111.0) ranked tied for 23rd in the league.A key reason for this was the team’s lack of a playmaking core; the Trail Blazers’ assist rate (58.7%) was only 28th in the league, often leading to stagnant offense. Yang Hansheng, as a potential offensive hub, is exactly what the Trail Blazers need to solve this problem.

Currently, the Trail Blazers are building a promising lineup around Yang: pairing him with top defenders and highly athletic players who can support defensively and complement his playmaking on offense. Apart from Scoot Henderson, the team lacks a high-quality primary point guard; during the offseason, many questioned how they would fill the organizational wing void left by Anfernee Simons’s departure. But perhaps the solution to Portland’s playmaking struggles lies within their frontcourt—embodied by this newly drafted rookie, Yang Hansheng.