The Big Lead

Blazers rookie Yang Hansen shares wild reason he picked up basketball

Many NBA players have different stories for how they started playing basketball, but Portland Trail Blazers' rookie Yang Hansen's is unique.

By Divij Kulkarni

Yang Hansen stands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the 16th pick by the Memphis Grizzlies.
Yang Hansen stands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the 16th pick by the Memphis Grizzlies. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
facebooktwitter

The 2025 NBA Draft Class has been an interesting one, to say the least. From the anticipation surrounding Cooper Flagg's entry into the league to Ace Bailey's dramatic start to life in Utah, there's been a lot to talk about. One of the picks catching the eye of fans, though, is Yang Hansen.

The Chinese center was selected 16th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies, although they immediately traded him to the Portland Trail Blazers. An intriguing character, Hansen averaged 10.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game in Summer League before being shut down.

RELATED: NBA fans react to Megan Thee Stallion’s $300K gift to Klay Thompson

Yang became the 3rd highest picked Chinese player in the league's history. But how did his story begin?

“I was a little bit of a fat boy," the Blazers man said during a recent interview. "My father told me to try some sports, figure out what I want to do, and lose some weight. My father told me: ‘Don’t become fat.’”

Considering that NBA athletes are among the greatest in the world, Hansen's admissions seem a bit out of the ordinary. The fact that he was overweight was the reason his father asked him to start taking an interest in sports, making this one of the more unique stories in the NBA.

Hansen has a chance to establish himself in Portland and become a starting center in the NBA next year. He may have been watching his weight when he was younger, but he's got bigger fish to fry now.

GET MORE TOP STORIES from The Big Lead by subscribing to TBL YouTube channel

NFL: Philadelphia Eagles unveil epic Super Bowl 59 rings with hidden wings

MMA: UFC 318 results: Max Holloway spoils Dustin Poirier's retirement party

SPORTS MEDIA: Rich Eisen shares emotional Instagram post celebrating late friend Stuart Scott

WNBA: Players make strong statement during All-Star Game pre-game warm-ups amid CBA drama

VIRAL: Caitlin Clark goes viral for jacked physique at WNBA 3-Point Contes

Home/NBA