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,

Portland had the 11th pick in the draft but traded the draft rights to guard Cedric Coward to the Memphis Grizzlies for Yang's draft rights, a 2028 first-round pick, a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick.

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