GOYANG (Korea) - It is never easy being labeled as another version of a generational talent that's become widely regarded as one of the best basketball players of all time, but Yang Hansen remains unperturbed.
The 21-year-old big man from China has been drawing comparisons with the Nikola Jokic, but there's no pressure for the up-and-coming star since the Serbian icon has been one of those he looks up to.
In fact, he's using it to push himself to become better as a hooper.
"First of all, Jokic is my idol," he bared. "I have a tremendous amount of respect for him, and I really love the way he plays. I think that's also something the fans hope to see from me. So, I'll just keep working hard."
Yang first turned heads with his passing prowess for a center as early as the U18 Asia Cup 2022 in Iran, and has since become one talent that most fans and observers alike have been closely monitoring.
Fast forward to the present and he's garnering attention globally. Some have actually been referring to him as the 'Chinese Jokic' after seeing him suit up for Team Dragon during the Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers.
But of course, as honored as he is, the proud son of Shandong would still want to carve his very own path. And he's begun doing so, having just wrapped up his rookie season in the NBA with the Portland Trail Blazers.
He's still in the process of finding his niche in the Association although his maiden campaign had its highs, too, specifically when he made the most of his assignment to the Rip City Remix in the NBA G League.
In the 5 games he played there, he averaged 16.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, enough to merit an invitation to the Rising Stars Challenge of the NBA All-Star Weekend 2026 before being called back.
Just last July, Yang saw action for Portland in the NBA Summer League and he wowed there as well.
He put up solid averages of 13.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.3 blocks in 24.4 minutes per outing, all while generating much attention on social media due to his highlight-worthy on-court exploits.
It may take some time for such stats to translate in the NBA and Yang knows that he'd need patience, too. Luckily for him, there's no shortage of wisdom and guidance, as he has plenty of figures willing to help him.
That includes 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Damian Lillard and another FIBA star in Deni Avdija, both of which have been teaching him not only about basketball, but in adapting to life being in the league.
"As a foreign player coming over, there were a lot of things that were unfamiliar to me. Being in another country, I had to adjust to many things, especially the language and everyday life," he reflected.
A lot of the veteran guys on the team, like Dame, Deni, and many others, helped me a lot while I was there.
He remains a work in progress, Yang admits, and that's exactly why he couldn't be more grateful to his fellow Trail Blazers for all the help they've been giving him to make sure that he adjusts the best he could.
"For instance, when it comes to English, there were times when they would say certain words really quickly and I couldn't understand them. They would slow down, explain things to me little by little," he said.
"And sometimes, even use gestures to help me understand. They also took me around and helped me adjust to the food and different aspects of life there," he added. "I'm really grateful for all the help and support."
There's much upside for Yang and his NBA career but he's never forgotten where it all began. Whenever available, he makes it a point to play for China in FIBA competitions as part of his quest to author his own story.
He was part of the squad that competed in Window 3 of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers, where he helped the program reach the Second Round after a poor 0-2 start.
It was his first World Cup Qualifiers experience and he did well, as proven by the 9.5 points and 5.5 rebounds he produced in the 2 games he played. And there should be nowhere to go but up in the next windows.
His production, furthermore, added even more excitement to Team China's future, with Coach Guo Shiqiang involving younger pieces in his program such as Wang Junjie and Yu Jiahao, to name some.
Those two were crucial in the Chinese' silver-medal campaign in the recent Asia Cup in Saudi Arabia, and Yang himself expressed eagerness in helping the men's team regain its place in Asian basketball and beyond.
Because he knows that it would be beneficial for him, too. In fact, he's part of the squad competing in the ongoing Window 4, and even led their 83-57 rout of Qatar at the Al Janoub Arena with 15 points and 9 rebounds.
"We're all just trying our best to help the team," said Yang, who also starred in the CBA a few years ago before making the huge leap. "Contribute whatever we can, and fight for every single point to get the win."
Alook at Yang Hansen's numbers in FIBA senior play
Year | Event | GP | PPG | RPG | APG | EFF |
3 | 11.3 | 6.7 | 1.3 | 15 | ||
6 | 8.7 | 4.7 | 1.8 | 12.3 | ||
Total Average | - | 9.6 | 5.4 | 1.6 | 13.2 |
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FIBA