Good news! Yang Hansheng is highly likely to serve as the primary backup center, and he is expected to receive considerable playing time in his rookie season.

On October 5th Beijing time, the Trail Blazers hosted an open practice match in which Yang Hansheng’s Black Team won 43-42 against the Gray Team. Yang showed a strong performance, and Casey Holdahl, the team’s official reporter, talked about Yang’s display during the training camp and this open practice game.Holdahl stated that Yang Hansheng is very likely to become the Trail Blazers' first backup center for the new season, partly because Robert Covington has not yet resumed full-contact training.Here is the content from his podcast—

Yang’s addition brings new possibilities to the center position:He has been matched up against Klingen in daily practices, which greatly benefits the development of both young centers.Although both are still adapting to the league and have different center skillsets, their physical advantages make their matchup training valuable for strengthening the Trail Blazers’ interior presence next season.

Yang’s performance in the open practice game continued the positive momentum from training camp: he used fakes beyond the three-point line to make Klingen shift his balance before driving; although he couldn’t completely shake off Klingen’s defense, he scored with a hook shot using excellent footwork and spin; additionally, he completed a “and-one” play against Klingen. Throughout the game, Yang showed no signs of fatigue or difficulty adjusting to the physicality or pace, maintaining a stable and impressive performance.

Watching Yang train, I never got the impression that he struggles to adapt to the league. Despite being only 20 years old, still learning English, and having only played professional basketball in China before, he handles the rhythm and physical intensity with ease. He is receptive to coaching and continually deepening his understanding of tactics—in a recent media interview, he even attempted to answer questions in English, showing commendable enthusiasm. Moreover, translator Chris has done an excellent job ensuring smooth communication between Yang and the outside world.

Billups mentioned during media day that he “looks forward to Yang getting playing time next season”—keep in mind, Billups is not a coach who easily praises rookies or promises minutes unless the player truly has the ability. Based on my observations at training camp, Yang is indeed likely to earn consistent playing time next season:Currently, in intra-squad scrimmages, he has been the first backup center, matched against starting center Klingen.

Of course, Robert Covington’s status remains uncertain—he has not yet been cleared for full contact, and if he returns before the season starts, it could affect the interior rotation. However,for now, Yang Hansheng is very likely to be the first backup center, and this 20-year-old rookie is expected to get significant minutes in his first NBA season.

From a technical perspective, Yang has excellent shooting ability, and his skills in ball-handling drives and finishing at the rim (with both hands) exceed expectations—although he is not very fast, his coordination is impressive for such a tall center. He skillfully uses his body and footwork to create scoring chances, just as Klingen said, “Yang’s footwork is outstanding.”

It’s worth mentioning that Yang and Caleb Love performed well in the “dance segment” at the carnival. Lillard, as a veteran, led this part and kept the interaction brief—previous years sometimes saw the event drag on towards the end. This year, perhaps because the team only has two rookies, Lillard was more considerate: although Love is older with 4-5 college seasons, Yang is new to the U.S. and needed to avoid feeling uncomfortable. At the event’s conclusion, both rookies received “commemorative backpacks” to carry during the new season.

Additionally, Jayden Sharp has been repeatedly praised by coaches and teammates as the “star of training camp,” a well-deserved title: his offensive skills were already strong, and now his shooting consistency has significantly improved, whether catching and shooting, mid-range, or three-pointers. He scored 10 of the team’s 43 points in the open practice game and was named MVP of the scrimmage. This is his second time receiving this honor, having first earned it during his rookie season.