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Denver star Nikola Jokic responds to request from Trail Blazers rookie Yang Hansen
MULTNOMAH COUNTY, OREGON, JUL 23 – Nikola Jokic, a three-time MVP, conditionally agreed to autograph a photo for rookie Yang Hansen, who averaged 10.8 points and 4.8 assists in the 2025 Summer League.
- Yang Hansen, a 20-year-old Chinese center and 16th pick in the 2025 NBA draft, requested a photo and autograph from Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic during the Summer League.
- This request followed Hansen's strong Summer League showing and ongoing comparisons to three-time MVP Jokic, generating high expectations but acknowledging the challenge ahead.
- Jokic responded humorously, agreeing to the photo only if Hansen plays poorly against him and noting he will likely be out of the league when Hansen hits his prime.
- Blazers GM Joe Cronin praised Hansen’s high basketball IQ and ability to elevate teammates, calling these qualities key to successful teams in the playoffs.
- Hansen’s promising start and Jokic’s conditional response have heightened anticipation for their upcoming matchups in the 2025-26 season, though Hansen’s long-term impact remains uncertain.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Nikola Jokic drops first reaction on "Chinese Jokic" Yang Hansen's skillset after rookie's heartfelt request: "If I destroy him, then yeah"
Chinese prospect and Portland Trail Blazers rookie Yang Hansen turned heads during the NBA Summer League, as he was compared with former MVP and NBA champion Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.
Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic Receives Autograph Request From Blazers’ Yang Hansen
Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic received a special request from the Portland Trail Blazers’ newly drafted Yang Hansen. The Chinese center was asked about Jokic at Las Vegas Summer League and called the Serbian his idol. When asked what Hansen would ask Jokic if and when he gets the chance to interact with him in […] The post Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic Receives Autograph Request From Blazers’ Yang Hansen appeared first on Basketball Insiders | N…
Yang Hansen: The NBA’s Next Global Phenomenon
While American basketball fans were preoccupied with the arrival of No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg at this month’s NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, it became quickly apparent to media and executives in attendance that there was an entirely separate phenomenon brewing within the Portland TrailBlazers organization. Photo by Harry How/Getty Images A Star Is Born Just weeks after Portland was roundly criticized for the puzzling decision to trade up …
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