The Portland Trail Blazers traded down in the NBA draft Wednesday night, and made international headlines in the process.
The Blazers drafted Yang Hansen, a 20-year-old Chinese center, with the 16th pick in the first round of the two-day draft. Portland headed into the night with the 11th selection, but they moved back and acquired a future first round pick and two second round picks in the process.

Yang Hansen reacts after being selected 16th by the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the NBA basketball draft, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in New York.
Adam Hunger / AP
The Blazers drafted Cedric Coward and shipped him to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for the future picks and the right to draft at 16.
Yang was not on most NBA draft experts’ radar as a first-round prospect, certainly not in the middle of the first round. But in interviews after the selection, Blazers General Manager Joe Cronin said the franchise had scouted Yang for years.
“We selected a player we’ve been watching for quite a while and we’re really excited,” Cronin said in comments to media after the selection. “This is a very, very unique talent, in our opinion.”
When his name was called, Yang stood up in the stands at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The top prospects expected to be drafted are invited to a green room. According to ESPN, 24 players were invited to the green room.
Yang was not one of them.
The 7-foot-1 inch center has risen the ranks in the Chinese Basketball Association rapidly. With the Qingdao Eagles, Yang averaged 16.6 points and 10.5 rebounds and led the league with 119 blocks. He’s been a rising star on China’s national team as well.

FILE - Josh Hawkinson, top, of Japan and Yudai Baba, left, guard Yang Hansen, right, of China during a Group C match of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 qualifier match in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024.
Shuji Kajiyama / AP
He’s the first Chinese player to be drafted in the first round since Yi Jianlian in 2007.
Coward has strong ties to the Pacific Northwest. He started his college career at Willamette University, before transferring to Eastern Washington. He played just six games last season with Washington State, but rapidly rose on the draft boards.
This story may be updated.