Yang Hansen scored a 2+1 and received cheers from his teammates! Klingen wants to learn from his footwork, and the head coach praises his organizational skills.

On October 2nd, during the Trail Blazers' second day of training camp, the official social media posted a clip of Yang Hansen’s basket. He backed down his defender, spun quickly toward the basket, and completed an impressive 2+1, earning cheers from his teammates. The official caption stated: “Very aggressive, rookie! Yang Hansen scored with a spin move and a powerful finish on day two of training camp!”

In a post-training camp interview, Klingen was asked about Yang Hansen’s performance. When a reporter inquired if Klingen might learn anything from Hansen, he replied: “His footwork—I think his footwork is top-notch, and his finishing ability is very strong. Plus, his communication on defense and in pick-and-roll situations improves every day. Playing alongside him is really enjoyable.”

The reporter also asked Klingen: “Can you relate to the adjustment period he’s going through now? Does it remind you of your own season last year?”

Klingen responded: “Absolutely. Think about it—he came from the Chinese league, while I came from college basketball. The systems we experienced are completely different. So now we both have to relearn the NBA’s pace and style of play. It’s the same kind of adjustment I had to make last year, and he’s going through that process this year.”

Sheldon Sharp spoke about Yang Hansen, saying: “He’s great and a valuable addition to the team. Although he’s still adapting to the NBA and needs some time, his current performance is already impressive.”

In a subsequent interview with head coach Billups, a reporter asked whether the team would rely more on Hansen’s playmaking skills in Henderson’s absence, since that is one of his key strengths.

Billups replied: “No, I don’t really think that way. Whether Henderson plays or not, I use Yang Hansen the same way. He’s naturally a playmaker with strong passing skills. He earns those opportunities because of his talent, not because someone is out. Also, one thing I really like about our team is that all our centers are good passers. Sometimes we initiate offense through the center because we have players who excel at cutting and driving. So it’s not about Henderson missing games; it’s purely because our centers have excellent passing ability.”