Yang blazes trail to NBA

Since the retirement of the golden generation led by Yao, an eight-time NBA All-Star, no Chinese player has made a consistent impact in the NBA, with international results of the Chinese national team also suffering a sharp decline, failing to qualify for the last two Olympic Games.

The emergence of Yang's peers, including another young hopeful Cui Yongxi, who was signed by the Brooklyn Nets last year, but was later released due to a knee injury, has rekindled new hopes that the Chinese men's program can stand tall again, with key players honing their talent overseas.

In his first year in the CBA, Yang was named the 2023-24 season's Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, while also making the league's All-Star team and being named to the Domestic First Team. Yang was again named an All-Star and received First Team honors in the 2024-25 CBA season, where he averaged 16.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, three assists and 2.6 blocks per game in 45 starts, leading the 8th-seeded Eagles into the playoff quarterfinals.

Dubbed "Baby Jokic" by his Chinese fans, Yang put his intriguing blend of size, skills and basketball IQ on display under the watchful eyes of club staff, and turned heads during his US training trip for the resemblance of his game to the versatile "point-center" role of Denver Nuggets' three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic.

The Trail Blazers, though, will provide time and patience for their own play-making big man to grow.

"Nobody is Jokic, they're big shoes to fill," said Cronin.

"There will be adjustments for him to make, just like all the other guys drafted tonight, but it will be our job to prepare him and get him there as quickly, and as well, as possible. We're excited to have this opportunity to grow him into a good player."