Hansen Yang Position: Big Height: 7'1" Weight: 252.6 lbs Wingspan: 7'2.75" Age: 19

Offense Hansen Yang stands out primarily due to his unique combination of imposing size and refined offensive skill. At 7 '1", Yang thrives predominantly as a traditional post scorer, leveraging excellent footwork, a variety of moves, and advanced feel around the rim. He averaged 16.2 points per game in the CBA, operating effectively against consistent double and triple-teams. His ability to methodically navigate defenders, using spins, hooks, and soft-touch finishes with both hands, highlights his offensive polish. While he primarily favors his right hand, his ambidexterity is improving, though occasional struggles finishing with his left remain apparent. Yang’s massive frame and enormous hands are significant assets. They allow him to securely handle the ball in crowded spaces, maintain his positioning against physical defenders, and consistently execute accurate passes. His passing vision is notable, as he frequently initiates offense out of the post or short-roll, demonstrating impressive reads and timely decision-making. Despite this vision, he can struggle with tunnel vision as a scorer, often hesitating or lingering too long on the ball, resulting in turnovers (3.1 per game). Improving decisiveness and reducing forced passes will be essential to his transition to the NBA. Yang shows promising potential as a short-roll operator, effectively using his size and patience to finish or distribute. However, he lacks elite burst or vertical athleticism, limiting his ceiling as a rim-running lob threat. His playmaking out of handoffs and dribble-handoffs is already polished, enabling him to serve effectively as a half-court offensive hub, facilitating for teammates through sharp bounce passes and overhead tosses. NBA teams will likely capitalize on these traits by surrounding him with shooters and cutters to maximize his distribution abilities. Shooting remains a significant developmental area. Yang shot just 28.6% from three and 66.8% from the free-throw line, indicating limited range and questionable shooting mechanics. Although he has increased his willingness to attempt outside shots, significant improvements in shooting consistency are necessary to expand his offensive versatility and spacing potential. Rebounding numbers (10.0 per game) appear solid but may be inflated due to lesser competition and frequent uncontested boards. Yang will need to show greater commitment to positioning and more physicality to replicate this success against NBA-level athletes. Defense Yang’s defensive profile presents significant challenges despite some intriguing attributes. He posted strong block numbers (2.7 blocks per game) in the CBA, primarily leveraging his size, length, and excellent timing. However, the underlying film reveals concerning limitations that may severely restrict his NBA defensive potential. Yang's greatest weakness is his perimeter defense. He exhibits slow lateral quickness, heavy feet, and limited hip flexibility, causing significant struggles guarding pick-and-roll actions. He frequently gets beaten by quicker guards, struggling particularly in high and empty-side ball screens. Without substantial improvement, this issue alone could severely limit his NBA viability, making him potentially exploitable, especially in playoff scenarios. Interior defense shows more promise due to his imposing frame and positional intelligence. Yang effectively deters shots around the rim when positioned correctly, utilizing strong anticipation and timing. However, his lack of vertical pop and relatively modest wingspan (7'2.8") limit his upside as an elite rim protector. His effectiveness is likely confined to drop coverage schemes, where his mobility and responsibilities are simplified. Even within drop coverage, improving his ability to react quickly in tight spaces and maintaining disciplined verticality without fouling will be critical. Yang’s limited defensive versatility poses significant challenges. He lacks the footspeed and agility necessary for switching onto quicker players, forcing defensive schemes to adjust extensively to protect him. His ability to stay on the court will hinge entirely on scheme alignment and insulating him defensively, likely requiring additional rim-protecting support or athletic perimeter defenders. Looking Ahead Hansen Yang is a compelling but complex prospect, combining advanced offensive skills with concerning defensive limitations. Offensively, his refined post game, strong passing instincts, and excellent feel for the game at just 20 years old suggest significant long-term potential. His ability to function as a high-post playmaker and post scorer could be immensely valuable, particularly in regular-season NBA contexts. However, Yang's defensive issues present serious hurdles. His lack of lateral quickness, flexibility, and overall athleticism severely restrict his defensive versatility and potential playoff effectiveness. NBA teams drafting Yang will need patience, as his adaptation to faster, stronger, and more athletic competition could be challenging and prolonged. Yang’s ceiling resembles offensively gifted centers such as Nikola Vučević or Alperen Şengün; players who anchor offenses through passing, scoring, and smart decision-making, despite defensive limitations. His median outcome likely involves being an offensively valuable backup center whose defensive struggles limit his minutes and effectiveness, particularly in critical playoff situations. Overall, Yang represents a high-risk, high-reward investment. His offensive skills and feel could translate to significant NBA value, but without substantial defensive improvements, his ultimate impact may be limited. Teams drafting Yang should anticipate a longer developmental timeline, emphasizing defensive scheme fit and supporting personnel to maximize his unique strengths while mitigating his weaknesses.