Chinese center Yang made headlines after being selected in the middle of the first round by the Portland Trail Blazers, defying projections that had him going in the second round. The 7ft 2in Qingdao Eagles star had impressed at the NBA Draft Combine with his passing, drawing comparisons to Nikola Jokic, and worked out with 11 teams, including Portland.
Yang, who turned 20 on draft day, said the pick exceeded his expectations. He noticed more attention on him after the 15th pick and soon found himself shaking hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
The Blazers had been scouting him in China for years, and his strong pre-draft workout helped solidify their interest. Yang now joins Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian as the only Chinese players ever drafted in the first round.
