Trail Blazers’ Rookie Yang Hansen Draws 5X Summer League Viewers Than Cooper Flagg

After the 2024-25 season ended, most of the discussions surrounding the NBA were about Cooper Flagg and how he ended up with the Dallas Mavericks. Now, as the Summer League wound down, the name Yang Hansen is dominating basketball conversations.

Flagg had his own moments. After struggling in his debut against Bronny James, he rebounded with a stellar 31-point performance that laid to rest all the concerns some fans had about him. The Mavs had seen enough, and shut him down for the rest of the Summer League.

Once he was out, James Jr. continued to trend as he performed admirably, game after game, and gave his critics all the proof that he belonged in the league. In between all this, Hansen was starting to make waves.

The Chinese prospect was one of the surprises of the draft. Despite many draft boards predicting he would be selected in the middle of the 2nd round, the Portland Trail Blazers drafted him 16th overall.

He was caught unawares and had to abandon his fried chicken, hurriedly put his suit on, and run down from the stands to greet Commissioner Adam Silver on the stage. So far, that brave selection has given the Trail Blazers hope that they were right.

Playing significant minutes in the Summer League, Hansen’s performances were impressive. To watch him play, the Washington Post’s Ben Golliver reveals that 5.4 million Chinese viewers tuned in to watch their countryman dribble a ball in the best league in the world.

Feature: Yang Hansen, a towering jester with a “fat boy” past, is the NBA’s star of the summer.
The @trailblazers rookie, who drew 5.4 million Chinese viewers for a summer league game, on life, pressure, Yao Ming & the glory of sleep @washingtonpost https://t.co/FdBrIgXB3S

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) July 20, 2025

This harks of the time when Hall of Famer Yao Ming became the center of attention from Chinese fans. What is more impressive is that Yang Hansen has been bringing in that many viewers when Cooper Flagg could only muster up 1.1 million on his debut.

Yang Hansen could become the NBA’s next media darling

Yao Ming was one of the best centers during the 8 seasons he was in the league. He was forced to retire after injuries started to take a toll on his body. In that time, he amassed 8 All-Star and 5 All-NBA selections.

He became a Hall of Famer not for his accomplishments on the basketball court, but off it. Yang Hansen has a chance to be the same. The 20-year-old Yang Hansen has arrived in the NBA at a time when bruising centers such as Ming and his then rival, Shaquille O’Neal, no longer exist.

Now, it is the time of stretch bigs. Hansen has another trait which can help him become the next great Chinese player. His passing, court awareness, scoring touch, and mobility remind casual NBA folk of another white non-American big man, Nikola Jokic.

Many are already dubbing Hansen the Chinese Jokic. If the Portland Trail Blazers get even 50% of what the 3-time league MVP has achieved, they would be in a good position to field a competitive team. The 20-year-old will need time to develop.

But once he does, there is a chance he will pull a lot more than the 5.4 million Chinese viewers he did in the Summer League. Moreover, his presence will give the NBA a chance to fix its relationship with China, and help generate billions in revenue.

Yang Hansen and young Trail Blazers could grow together to become contenders

Ever since Damian Lillard left the Portland Trail Blazers, they have been struggling to show a semblance of competitive basketball. Last season, they finished level with the Phoenix Suns in the win-loss column.

They have a young core with Scoot Henderson, Donovan Clingan, and Deni Avdija. They will have Jrue Holiday as their lead veteran next season, and Lillard is returning to the franchise, but will not play next season.

This mix of old and young could help the Trail Blazers take the next step and push for a playoff spot. Yang Hansen can take his time to develop, as the team is not poised to make a major push until the 2026-27 season when Lillard returns to action.

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