Portland Trail Blazers center Yang Hansen shoots his first regular-season point during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, in Portland. Photo: VCG

Chinese center Yang Hansen made his NBA regular-season debut on Wednesday night local time, contributing 2 points and 1 rebound for the Portland Trail Blazers against the Minnesota Timberwolves, marking another milestone in his career.

With his appearance, Yang became the eighth Chinese player to feature in an NBA regular-season game, following Chinese basketball stars such as Wang Zhizhi, Yao Ming, and Yi Jianlian.

Yang checked into the game 7 minutes and 13 seconds into the first quarter and returned in the second, where he earned a trip to the free-throw line and calmly sank both attempts to record his first career NBA points. He did not play in the second half as the game remained tightly contested. In total, he logged five minutes on the court.

It's worth noting the moment that came in the second quarter when the Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels dunked over Yang, a moment many fans dubbed part of every rookie center's "welcome to the NBA" initiation.

Speaking at the post-game press conference, Yang described the debut as "a new experience, a new league, and new intensity," noting that he needs to adapt, learn, and identify areas for improvement. Reflecting on the dunk, he said he would work on his defensive positioning and timing to make better reads in future match-ups.

Yang's debut quickly drew attention and discussion online. Some Chinese fans appealed for "calm judgment" as this is just Yang's first game in the NBA regular season, while some compared his first performance to those of Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian.

A foreign fan posted on X after the game to urge patience, describing Yang as "a project" and suggesting that it's unrealistic to "expect a home run in the first year."

Among those in attendance was Yang's longtime mentor, coach Liu Weiwei. Addressing the dunk incident, Liu remarked, "Getting dunked is normal," and called Yang's debut "a successful first step," emphasizing that "he still has a lot to learn and a long way to go."

Veteran basketball analyst Su Qun told the Global Times on Thursday that Yang's limited playing time was understandable given the competitive nature of the matchup. "The game was intense, and head coach Chauncey Billups chose to go small-ball lineup in the second half, relying on a more experienced center in a crucial game, and it's understandable," Su said.

However, Su cautioned against over-interpreting a single performance. "We should avoid one-game conclusions or comparisons with Yao Ming or Yi Jianlian," he said. "Yang's situation, draft position, and the team's development goals are all very different, and he's still young."

"It's certain that this one game won't define his role going forward," Su added. "The coaching staff will continue to give him opportunities. But at the same time, Yang must study his matchups, understand opponents' tendencies, and improve his defensive awareness and physicality. There's still a lot of room for growth."

The Trail Blazers will play their next game on October 27 against the Los Angeles Clippers.