What did Yang Hansheng gain from the four summer league games?

Yang Hansheng's second summer league journey has concluded (the first was last year representing the men's basketball team), and the Trail Blazers are likely not to allow him to participate in tomorrow's last summer league game. A crucial line in the reports is that the Blazers have observed what they aimed to see in Yang Hansheng.

In other words, the Blazers are currently very pleased with their choice to draft Yang Hansheng. According to reports, the Blazers will not let Yang Hansheng drop below the 16th pick, as the Nets are eyeing him closely. Yang Hansheng's market value before the draft is better than we all imagined, with a first-round pick around the 20th spot being a certainty.

From Chauncey Billups' beaming expressions after each game, it's clear that Yang Hansheng's performance has satisfied the Blazers' management. Yang Hansheng's basketball IQ, court vision, competitiveness, adaptability, and even his three-point shooting accuracy all score above average.

In four games, Yang Hansheng averaged 10.8 points, 5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.5 steals, and 2.3 blocks, with a shooting percentage of 45.7%, a three-point percentage of 33.3%, and a free throw percentage of 87.5%.

Personally, I believe Yang Hansheng's performance has exceeded my expectations. While his debut was said to be impressive, it was his up-and-down performance in the third game that truly amazed me.

He initially struggled against the Pelicans' starting center, Matisse, on both ends, but after being overwhelmed by this year's 13th overall pick center, Quinn, Yang Hansheng didn't lose heart. He returned to the court, responding from the perimeter, executing alley-oops and scoring in the post against Quinn, which helped him regain his confidence.

The 15 points he scored in that game marked a new high for Yang Hansheng in the summer league. He showcased his offensive talents comprehensively, but more importantly, he demonstrated mental resilience—after being challenged, he fought back instead of being defeated by a few poor possessions, quickly adjusting his mindset for the next games.

In yesterday's fourth game, Yang Hansheng struggled with the five-man trap at the start and made several turnovers. However, he quickly adapted to the intensity of this level, ultimately posting a comprehensive stat line of 8 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks, setting a new high for rebounds across the four games.

Yang Hansheng finally started to go after rebounds instead of just "being a good teammate" by positioning himself for his teammates. His assists were also crucial in the Trail Blazers' offensive surge in the second half, resulting in a plus-minus of +19, clearly showing his impact on the court.

Of course, Yang Hansheng's performance in these games also revealed several issues. In the second game of the back-to-back, he looked extremely fatigued, and he needs to quickly adapt to this kind of game cycle, especially since there will be many back-to-backs in a season.

A common issue for Yang Hansheng across the four games is a lack of strength, both upper and lower body, which directly led to him being pushed around in the post and losing several key rebounds. Some defensive rebounds he should have secured were also lost due to insufficient strength and positioning.

Yang Hansheng mentioned that he felt like a traditional center in the CBA, but after coming here, he realized he wasn't as traditional as he thought and couldn't dominate in the post. Compared to those traditional centers, what Yang Hansheng lacks is core strength, which is an area he needs to focus on improving moving forward.

Yang Hansheng has been on a non-stop schedule for several months. He finished the CBA season on April 23 and immediately headed to the U.S. for specialized training in early May to prepare for the joint workouts. After receiving an invitation for a private workout with a team, he flew to over ten cities in the following twenty days without pause.

After being selected by the Trail Blazers, Yang Hansheng didn't have much time to relax and celebrate. He immediately joined the team for practice, preparing for the upcoming summer league, which continues until today. Over the course of more than two months, Yang Hansheng officially became an NBA player, spending all his time either in workouts or training, without a systematic break.

Therefore, moving forward, Yang Hansheng needs to focus on building strength and also on getting proper rest to allow his body to relax. He should use this rest period to diligently improve his language skills, at least to communicate daily with his teammates and understand the coach's strategies. He also needs to find time to study the Trail Blazers' playbook.

As for many fans strongly advising Yang Hansheng not to participate in the Asian Cup, that's not something we can decide. For Yang Hansheng, as long as the national team calls, he will undoubtedly respond without hesitation. How to arrange his time during this period, I believe Yang Hansheng's team will handle it well.

As a fan, I just hope Yang Hansheng can rest as much as possible and get his physical condition to its best state.