Yang’s first camp experience is a good one.
Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups thinks rookie Yang Hansen is progressing well through his first three days of NBA training camp.
Billups told reporters on Wednesday the 7-foot-1 Chinese center already has great offensive feel that’ll help him succeed on that end. As far as defense and rebounding, Billups said Yang will require a larger learning curve for those skills, but Billups wasn’t concerned. He knows it’s par for the course for a 20-year-old making the leap to The NBA.
“It’s defensively where he’s a little behind,” Billups said. “Rebounding the ball and getting down there is where he’s a little behind, but in fairness to him, he didn’t have to fight and claw and scrap for rebounds. He’s just so good and so big [in the Chinese Basketball Association] that it would just come right to him. The NBA is totally different. The speed of the game is a little different; there’s a learning curve for that. But he’s right where a rook should be at, and I’m happy with where he’s at.”
Yang, alongside his interpreter Chris Liu, spoke with media on Thursday for the first time during camp. He was on the same page as his coach about areas for growth.
“I just try to catch the team’s speed, and also I’m trying to build more cohesion with all the players,” Yang said. “ … I’ve got some disadvantages, I know. I’ve got some weaknesses on the court. I just try to pick everything up faster and try to help the team as much as I can.”
Fortunately for Yang and his desire to learn, his head coach and teammates have been commending the cerebral parts of his game all week. Blazers forward Jerami Grant was the latest to do so, telling reporters Thursday that Yang was picking up the team’s plays and movements quickly. He said the rookie’s smarts were what stood out about him most during camp.
“He knows how to pass the ball,” Grant said. “He knows how to move the ball. He knows how to direct the offense. He’s just smart.”
“In terms of our basketball stuff, he’s watching film everyday,” added Billups, who said the team is taking an aggressive approach with his development. “He’s going through things, kind of extra work for him everyday. He’s in a crash course right now.”
Yang’s teammates are also helping him adjust to his new team and navigate the language barrier. He said Donovan Clingan, Jrue Holiday, Deni Avdija and others have been guiding him through concepts and instructions.
“Everyone just helps me,” he said. “If we play for the same team [during a scrimmage], every time during the timeout they try to tell me, ‘Yo, Hansen, you can do that, or you can do that.’ They just give me some instructions, so I can follow.”
Yang’s first week of official NBA practice is almost in the books, with the final day of Trail Blazers training camp coming Friday. Then the next step in his crash course is, perhaps, some lighthearted rookie hazing at Blazers Fan Fest on Saturday. It’s become a team tradition for rookies to be forced to sing karaoke in front of the crowd at the annual event, although Billups wouldn’t reveal if Yang would be given the microphone.
“I’m not sure,” Billups said with a smile. “Stay tuned, baby.”
Yang was familiar with the usual singing requirement, but he also wouldn’t say if he was performing or which song he might choose.
“I’ll see you guys on Saturday,” he said. “You’ll see me there.”
Category: General Sports
