For many athletes, basketball begins as a passion sparked on playgrounds or from idolizing NBA stars. But for Hansen Yang, his journey into the sport was less about inspiration and more about a parental push.

Many NBA players have different stories for how they started playing basketball, but Portland Trail Blazers' rookie Yang Hansen's is unique.

Trail Blazers fans have to sit back and wait for Yang Hansen's jersey to drop because he's not seeing more action in Summer League.

Yang Hansen's journey to the NBA began with his father's advice to lose weight. The 7-foot-1 center transformed from an overweight teen to a promising player, showcasing his skills in the Summer League.

The Portland Trail Blazers turned heads when they decided to draft Yang Hansen with the 16th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Many thought that it was a reach for them to draft him that high. Portland didn't care about what the reaction was going to be from the rest of the NBA.

Yang Hansen had an epic quote about what led him to start playing basketball. Hansen was the No. 16 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and is now part of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Portland Trail Blazers rookie center Yang Hansen appeared excited to make his Summer League debut with his new team at 8 p.m. Friday against the Golden State Warriors. • WATCH: Blazers vs Warriors basketball live for free with Fubo (free trial),