"For sure it was a big shock for me," he said through an interpreter during an ESPN interview. "When Adam Silver called my name, it surprised me. I was just sitting there finishing my fried chicken. I didn't even put my suit on. Suddenly they told me, 'Hansen, Hansen, put your suit on.'"

One of the surprises at the 2025 NBA draft was the Portland Trail Blazers selecting Chinese Yang Hansen at No. 16 overall, a player many considered a fringe first-round prospect at best.