Ranked 25th! Hansson Yang, impressive! Surpassing the Lakers' starting center.

Harper, an analyst from The Athletic, unveiled his list of the top 40 NBA centers for the upcoming season, with the top ten being Jokic, Wembanyama, Embiid, Davis, Adebayo, Towns, Gobert, Sengun, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Sabonis.

What stands out is thatHansson Yang is ranked 25th on this list, surpassing Mavericks center Lively (27) and new Lakers signee Ayton (30)...

Harper commented, "I've started to believe in Hansson Yang's potential. Given his skills and physical attributes, I have no doubt he can immediately break into the top 25 big men."

In this year’s NBA Summer League, the 16th pick of the 2025 first round demonstrated remarkable versatility, averaging 24.4 minutes, 10.8 points, 5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game, with shooting percentages of 45.7%, 33.3%, and 87.5%.

Hansson Yang has now returned to the Trail Blazers after his break, joining league and team training camps starting August 11. Recently, he took some time to congratulate the Chinese men’s basketball team for earning the runner-up spot at this year’s Asia Cup.

According to the Trail Blazers’ 2025-26 regular season schedule release,the October 23 opener will be against the Timberwolves, meaning Hansson Yang’s NBA debut will see him face off with four-time DPOY Gobert, which is no small challenge.

In the second to fourth games of the season, the Trail Blazers will consecutively play the Warriors, Clippers, and Lakers—three high-profile teams. During this stretch, Hansson Yang will be under the brightest spotlight. Not only are we watching, but many international fans are also keeping an eye on this big man from China. This is an experience he can’t avoid; it brings both pressure and motivation.

As for when Hansson Yang will go head-to-head with his idol Jokic? That will be on November 1, when the Trail Blazers host the Nuggets.

The “Chinese Jokic” versus “Serbian Hansson Yang”—American media especially enjoy drawing comparisons between the two.

Of course, their current abilities aren’t really comparable; what’s being discussed are similarities in playing style, approach, and even personality.

Since Yao Ming, Hansson Yang is becoming the new driving force for the NBA’s expansion into the Chinese market. Hopefully, one day he’ll be able to fully live up to these high expectations.

“Watch my past and look forward with me to spring, know my darkness and grant me a bright dawn.”