The Korean media "Daily Economic News" published an article today about Yang Hansen. He believes that the latter has gradually lost his way and made the team regret its previous choice. The following is the full content.
"Chinese Jokic" Yang Hansen is gradually lost in the NBA, and the Blazers may regret their original choice.
Yang Hansen averaged only 1.8 points and 0.8 rebounds in the five games this season, and has almost no sense of presence in the NBA. He has barely had a chance to play since November. It can be said that Yang Hansen's current skills are not suitable for the NBA. Although he has good physical attributes, his athleticism has not yet reached NBA standards. As a center who mainly focuses on shooting, his performance at the basket also appears to be relatively weak. Now she's definitely disappointing Portland fans, especially considering they missed the chance to draft Coward. The latter performed well in his rookie season and is considered a strong contender for Rookie of the Year.
In fact, the Trail Blazers held the 11th overall pick in this year's rookie draft, but they traded with the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for the 16th overall pick and 2028 first- and second-round picks. The deal was considered a good deal at the time. However, Coward, whom the Grizzlies selected with the 11th overall pick, performed very well, while Yang Hansen, whom the Trail Blazers selected, is currently not ideal.
For Yang Hansen, luck is not good either. Head coach Billups, who had previously expressed confidence in him, resigned due to illegal gambling accusations. Acting coach Splitter preferred to use a small-ball, fast-hit lineup, which made it difficult for Yang Hansen to find his position. Split said in an interview: "I don't know yet about Yang Hansen's usage plan. We know that everyone has a lot of expectations, but now he needs to continue to train and develop, adapt to the speed of the NBA and increase his physical fitness. We are not in a hurry to push him to the line of fire, we must proceed with caution."
In contrast, Coward, who was selected by the Grizzlies, averaged 14.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, and has achieved double-doubles twice. He ranks third among rookies in scoring and rebounding and seventh in assists.
To sum up, judging from the current trends, Coward is obviously a better choice. He is becoming a high-profile rookie, while Yang Hansen seems not ready to meet the challenge of the NBA. Ultimately, the Blazers' decision in this draft may prove to be a mistake in both the short and long term.
source:7m cn freeNext：Remarkable! Flagg made 2 of 4 shots in the first quarter and scored 6 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal. He scored 4 consecutive points to stop his opponent.