Mainland Chinese social media users heaped praise on the Chinese Basketball Association after the governing body announced on Thursday that promising young centre Yang Hansen would not participate in the national team’s training camp or the 2025 Fiba Asia Cup, allowing him to focus on his development with the Portland Trail Blazers.
Yang, the No 16 pick at last month’s NBA Draft, will attend two short training camps hosted by the Trail Blazers beginning on August 11.
“After finishing his NBA Summer League stint, Chinese men’s basketball player Yang Hansen immediately reported to head coach Guo Shiqiang about his experience in the draft combine and Summer League in the United States,” the Chinese Basketball Association said in a statement.
“He applied to the national team and the Chinese Basketball Association, hoping to participate in two short-term training camps organised by the Portland Trail Blazers starting on August 11 in order to better integrate with his new team and further improve his skills. These camps are designed for rookies and players who need continued development based on their Summer League performance.”
The association added that the scheduling conflict between the Trail Blazers’ camps and the Fiba Men’s Asia Cup, held in Jeddah from August 5 to 17, prompted a decision to prioritise Yang’s long-term development.
Yang Hansen said he had learned a lot from playing in in four NBA Summer League games. Photo: AP
Basketball fans on social media said in unison the CBA “deserved praises” for their decisions.