Struggling through the NBA, yet thriving in the G League

Yang Hansen once again delivered a standout performance in the G League. Today, against the Thunder’s affiliate team, he played 31 minutes, shooting 3 of 6, making all 4 free throws, and finishing with 14 points, 17 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks, along with 3 turnovers.

To explain, in the G League, fouls committed in the final two minutes before the game ends only grant one free throw attempt. If made, it counts as 2 points (or 3 points), but if missed, no second free throw is awarded. Yang Hansen’s free throw shooting has always been reliable, both in the NBA and the G League, which gives everyone confidence.

Today, Yang Hansen set a new career high for rebounds in the G League. He did well protecting the boards and contributed on the offensive glass too. Without foul trouble, he might have had a chance to grab 20 rebounds in a single game.

You might have noticed Yang Hansen only took 6 shots throughout the whole game, out of the team’s 88 attempts. In previous G League games, he would also take some three-point shots, but today he took none. This wasn’t due to a change in tactics but simply because his teammates didn’t pass him the ball.

Yang Hansen’s offensive opportunities today mostly came from posting up and scoring second-chance points he grabbed himself. His accuracy at the free-throw line helped him score 14 points. When he got position down low, teammates didn’t pass to him; even when open on the perimeter, they didn’t find him, especially after the score gap widened and everyone played independently.

Although Yang Hansen only recorded 2 assists today, he actually made many beautiful passes that his teammates couldn’t convert into points. Despite this, he still played an outstanding game, which is quite impressive under these circumstances.

In the previous game, Yang Hansen shot 6 of 12, missed both three-point attempts, made 5 of 6 free throws, and finished with 22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal, setting a new career high in scoring in the G League.

The opponents were definitely undersized overall. Yang Hansen’s barefoot height of 2.16 meters made him tower over everyone inside. Whenever he got position and his teammates passed comfortably, he played with ease down low, as the opponents were simply too short.

Given these conditions, it’s natural for Yang Hansen to perform well offensively. His real progress in these two games lies in his solid defense against smaller players, maintaining good positioning without easily getting beaten, and showing increased enthusiasm in transition offense and defense.

When opponents target him, Yang Hansen now actively steps up to defend instead of just sitting in a spot. In the G League, he has more freedom to express himself and has fully adapted to the pace of the game here, which is very positive.

Over the past four days, Yang Hansen has had multiple game assignments: on the 14th against the Warriors, on the 15th sent down to the G League, on the 16th recalled to face the Hawks but did not play, and today sent down again to the G League. The Trail Blazers have two back-to-back games coming up, and Yang Hansen will likely be recalled to the team and get some playing time.

From the 14th to the 20th, Yang Hansen has games scheduled on both ends, making for a very packed schedule. This stretch acts as a midterm test for his physical endurance. Strictly speaking, today’s game was his third within four days, and he still maintained good stamina, which reflects his invisible progress.

This frequent sending down and recalling also shows the Trail Blazers’ careful planning for Yang Hansen’s rookie season. Since 2026 began, his NBA playing time has significantly increased compared to earlier in the season, which is a good treatment for a rookie. His improvement in the G League is also a key reason for his increased NBA minutes.

Of course, most of Yang Hansen’s NBA minutes still involve a lot of trial and error. In two games against the Rockets, his matchup with Adams earned high praise from Sprewell. Facing a veteran and physically strong big like Adams, no matter the outcome, Yang Hansen will gain valuable experience.

In a postgame interview today, when asked how he evaluates his performance in the first half of the season, Yang Hansen described it with four words: “struggling and learning.” For the Trail Blazers, his development timeline likely spans two seasons, with no expectation for him to immediately become a major contributor, which is quite favorable for him.

In the second half of the season, Yang Hansen is likely to appear more frequently in the rotation. Whether the Trail Blazers aim for the playoffs or a rebuild, the trade deadline will be busy. That $13.3 million expiring contract of Lowry’s should be put to use.