Han-Sen Yang's Personal Essay: Aspiring to Inspire Young Players Like Yao Ming, The Trail Blazers Are Full of Power and Hope

On September 27th Beijing time, Chinese player Han-Sen Yang of the Trail Blazers published a personal essay on The Players' Tribune, introducing himself to fans. The article is titled "To My New Friends."

The Players' Tribune, founded on October 1, 2014, is a new media platform where professional athletes share personal stories and thoughts through first-person articles. Its purpose is to enable players to communicate directly with fans without media filters.

The founder of The Players' Tribune is former MLB player Derek Jeter, and later players from major American professional leagues joined, making it quite influential today. Stars like Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Yao Ming have all contributed articles. What did Han-Sen Yang write on The Players' Tribune? The full text follows—

My name is Han-Sen Yang, I am twenty years old, and I come from Zibo City in Shandong Province, China. This past June, many witnessed my dream come true—the moment the Portland Trail Blazers selected me. Honestly, I was the most surprised person! Now I live 6,300 miles from home in Portland, Oregon, USA, preparing for my first NBA season.

Today, I want to introduce myself so that fans who don’t know me can understand where I come from and how I made it to the NBA.

But how did I get to the NBA? Is it just because I’m tall? Definitely not.

Many people think that if you are very tall from a young age, it’s obvious you will become a basketball player. But for me, that was not the case. Although I was tall as a kid, I was also a bit overweight. I actually started playing basketball because my parents wanted me to lose weight.

When I was little, my father loved watching the CBA. Our small TV was always showing basketball games, and I never got to watch other programs. Whenever I was doing homework nearby, my father would say things like “Look at that shot!” or “Wow, that pass!” Back then, I really didn’t understand why he liked basketball so much; I didn’t find it interesting.

Another reason might be that I never had much interest or passion for studying. Sitting in class was boring, especially subjects involving numbers—I was not good at math or chemistry. In China, academics are very important; if you’re not a good student, it’s hard to get into a good university, so you must find another path. My parents believed I had potential in sports, so at age seven, they started me training with a middle school basketball coach.

At that time, I actually thought basketball was even more boring than math!

Summers in Zibo are really hot, but we had to train outside. I couldn’t stand the heat and rebelled a lot—not just by words but actions—I refused to change clothes, get out of the car, or go to the court. I tried everything because I really didn’t want to train outdoors. Until fourth grade, I didn’t like basketball much.

But then a turning point came when our city got a second indoor basketball court. Finally, I could escape the scorching heat and play inside.

Also, no matter how much I trained, I couldn’t lose weight and was still overweight. Being taller than my peers didn’t mean I played better. I still remember a boy much shorter than me who dominated me on the court every time, and there were many players better than me back then.

From fifth grade, I entered a sports school. I remember sometimes crying when leaving home because I started living at school. On the court, I was very awkward; for the first few years, I only practiced dribbling. I don’t even recall when I started shooting. At 10 or 11 years old, I really didn’t think I could play basketball well. Though not completely discouraged, my basketball journey didn’t start smoothly. I lacked confidence; my teammates were faster and better players.

Many of them seemed more passionate about basketball than I was.

For example, I remember the first full NBA game I watched was Game 7 of the 2016 Finals between the Cavaliers and Warriors, when I was almost 11. Now I understand how amazing that game was, but back then, I didn’t particularly enjoy watching basketball. That day, I was with teammates who shouted excitedly beside me, much more enthusiastic than I was.

Looking back, maybe I hadn’t really fit in yet. My teammates on the court were faster and stronger, and off the court they constantly talked about basketball and games. I hadn’t found my own place in basketball yet. I was more interested in video games and sleeping.

Maybe I thought about quitting basketball as a kid, but there was one simple joy and motivation—I loved food. I especially liked the school cafeteria meals, barbecue, hotpot, hand-grabbed rice… Although I ate a lot, I gradually lost weight. Perhaps because of that, my physical condition improved. By the time I approached high school, I started to feel a real connection and goal with basketball and becoming a player.

Still, compared to friends, I wasn’t as passionate about basketball. Of course, I enjoyed watching players like LeBron James and Stephen Curry. As I grew taller and began playing center, I learned about legendary centers like Yao Ming, Shaquille O’Neal, and Dwight Howard. But at that time, I didn’t think far ahead or naturally see basketball as my career.

But I didn’t stop or give up basketball. In China, there’s a certification system—when you reach certain achievements in sports, you earn certificates. Those certificates became tangible goals for me. Being top eight in the province earned me a Level 2 athlete certificate at 14. Being top eight nationally earned me a Level 1 athlete certificate in high school with Qingdao Guoxin club.

I remember the coach asked me if I had a favorite center. I answered as before: Yao Ming and Shaq. But he told me I should check out a player named Nikola Jokic.

Maybe from that suggestion, I started liking and admiring Jokic. I watched many videos of him. I really liked his exceptional passing skills as a center and his court vision and control. (By the way, a few weeks ago, my agent surprised me with a signed Jokic jersey!) From then on, I deliberately studied Jokic’s moves and techniques.

At 17, I began training with Guoxin’s first team, but due to age restrictions, I had to wait until 18 to play in the CBA. Besides training, I had nothing else to do. Training remained tedious, and perhaps then I felt the pain of not being able to compete. Even after starting in the CBA, I didn’t have big dreams or think I could become a special or outstanding basketball player. The NBA felt even more unreachable.

I remember when I played U18, a technical analyst suddenly told me, “Han-Sen, I believe in you. You can go to the NBA draft.” I laughed at him, thinking it was a joke.

At that time, I was playing an international youth tournament. Foreign commentators struggled to pronounce my name and realized my surname sounds like "Young," so they started calling me “HandsomeYoung.” That nickname became my signature and the origin of my T-shirt. Back then, I didn’t feel very noticed or outstanding compared to peers. But gradually, through a series of international games, I gained some inexplicable confidence. Over the next two years in the CBA, my skills and abilities improved greatly.

For me, the NBA draft stopped feeling so ridiculous or distant.

Before this year’s draft, I was incredibly busy, flying to many cities in a short time. During team workouts, I played aggressively. I wanted to showcase my skills and toughness. I also knew how to “trash talk” and use mental tactics against opponents. Maybe these are things NBA teams didn’t expect. When I fully display my all-around abilities, I believe they will like it.

At least Portland saw it.

From draft night until now, I realize my life has changed a lot. I’ve received a lot of attention. By the way, I want to take this chance to apologize to everyone who messaged me—I’m sorry I haven’t replied to all. You know I’m not great at responding. Even my parents sometimes say, “Do you remember you have parents?” I know I should improve. So to everyone who congratulated me, even if I didn’t reply, I truly appreciate it.

Now I’m training seriously with the team. I’m happy and look forward to improving continuously. I hope to be a valuable player for the team and my teammates both on and off the court. Every rookie is like this, especially me—I’ve taken a huge step to get here and am truly a beginner in many ways. I still have much to learn.

But no matter what, you have to start, right?

I train hard every day, hoping to find my useful role on the court. I want to become a player who makes people proud in both China and Portland.

I am grateful and feel lucky that Portland has become my new home. It’s a very beautiful city—quiet, peaceful, with fresh and comfortable air.

I don’t have a driver’s license yet, so I only take walks around my neighborhood sometimes. (Considering my height, I might not go unnoticed—have you seen me around?) So far, I’ve tried many Chinese restaurants. As a food lover, finding good places to eat is important, and I love Chinese food. (I plan to improve my cooking skills—if I succeed in making delicious hand-grabbed rice, I’ll definitely share pictures.) I must say, the local Chinese community in Portland already treats me as one of their own. When they see me at restaurants or on the street, they give big smiles and happily greet me.

Of course, not only Chinese friends but also Portland residents and fans have been very warm and welcoming. Many greet me on the street or roll down their car windows to say welcome to Portland. It makes me feel very warm. I also hope to repay everyone’s love soon on the court.

Don’t worry, I’m working hard to learn English, so hopefully soon I’ll be able to communicate more fluently with everyone. Now I can gradually understand what people say to me, and compared to the beginning, I feel I’ve made some progress.

Since draft day, I’ve thought a lot about what makes Portland special and about the team’s name: the Trail Blazers.

This special name fits me well. We all know Chinese players haven’t appeared in the NBA draft for a long time. I realize how lucky I am to represent China at the highest level in the NBA. I understand the responsibility I carry. Over the years, many talented kids and young players in China have shown passion and hard work for basketball. Maybe one day they will also play in the NBA. Whether on social media or around me, there are many hopeful young players with ability, skills, and a future.

So for me, the name “Trail Blazers” means something very special—it is full of power and hope.

I will work hard to carve out my own path in the NBA and succeed. This is just the beginning; the road ahead is long. I also hope to gradually inspire young Chinese players, just as predecessors like Yao Ming inspired me. I want to show them that anything is possible and everyone can forge their own path.

To all fans in China, especially the young ones, while you support my new season, I hope you don’t sacrifice too much sleep or studies. I know the time difference can be tough, so I hope everyone at home lives full of energy while supporting me.

You can’t predict what life will bring or what the future holds. But you must always be ready with strength (and sleep).

Never be afraid to chase bigger dreams!

Han-Sen