Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen, teammates on the Portland Trail Blazers who have spent countless hours training and competing together, will finally meet as opponents at the NBA Rising Stars Challenge on Friday in Inglewood, California. Competing in the Rising Stars tournament during NBA All-Star Weekend, the two young centers will represent different teams, highlighting the growing excitement around Yang Hansen Rising Stars as a key focus.
Rising Stars Challenge Setup and Teams
The Rising Stars event features 28 players divided into four teams, playing a mini-tournament at the Intuit Dome. Donovan Clingan joins Team Melo, which includes highly touted rookies and sophomores, while Yang Hansen suits up for Team Austin, a roster built around premier G League talent. The opening game starts at 6 p.m., with the winning team moving on to the championship contest at 7:35 p.m.
In the Blazers’ locker room, Clingan expressed his excitement ahead of the matchup, saying,
“Me versus Han at All Star Weekend. Right, Han? Yes! I’m excited.”
His energetic call-out elicited a smile and a respectful nod from Yang, reinforcing their friendly yet competitive dynamic.
Donovan Clingan’s Rise as a Blazers Cornerstone
Entering his second NBA season, Clingan has become a key figure in Portland’s roster rebuild. The 7-foot-2 center overhauled his physique and refined his skills during the offseason to handle the demands of a starting role. His efforts have paid off, as he now serves as a dominant presence inside and the Blazers’ defensive anchor.
Clingan’s season averages are impressive: 11.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game. He leads the league in contested shots per game (13.0) and ranks second in total rebounds, offensive rebounds (4.6 per game), and offensive rebounding percentage (14.9%). With ten games logging 15 or more rebounds, he stands among eight NBA players averaging a double-double this season.
Offensively, Clingan has expanded his game beyond the paint, developing a reliable three-point shot with 49 made from long range, scoring at least one three-pointer in 31 games this season. Quietly, Clingan aimed for a Rising Stars selection before the season, making his current inclusion especially meaningful.
He reflected on the achievement, stating,
“I wasn’t really expecting it, but it was something I was working for. I obviously didn’t make it last year, so it was important and it was something that I wanted to individually achieve this year. It’s definitely something I’m proud of.”
Teaming up with San Antonio guard Stephon Castle, who also played with Clingan at Connecticut, the two will carry their chemistry onto Team Melo at Friday’s showcase.
Yang Hansen’s Unique Journey to the All-Star Stage
Yang Hansen, picked 16th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, arrived with significant anticipation and curiosity. His preseason performances initially suggested promising potential, but adapting to the NBA’s fast pace, talent level, and cultural differences has been challenging. Through 31 games, Yang is averaging modest stats: 2.0 points, 1.7 rebounds, 0.7 assists, and just under 8 minutes per game.
Yang’s transition has been marked by hard work behind the scenes. Acting coach Tiago Splitter praised his determination and progress despite limited playing time. Splitter shared,
“He’s working hard — he really is. Sometimes it’s hard. You’ve been out of the rotation and then you go there for three minutes and you’ve got to (play well). I told him, ‘This is not easy. I’ve been in your position when I came to the league.’ And I was way older than him and with more experience. So it’s not an easy situation. But he’s going to grow from this, keep working and improving.”
Rather than viewing his rookie season as a letdown, Yang maintains a positive perspective. Through an interpreter, he explained,
“It’s a new league for me, a new pace. The NBA is the best league in the world. It’s a good start for me to step up to a new league and I try to pick up everything fast, every day, to get better every day. Actually, I expected things to be worse than this. Because as a rookie, I thought I might have no minutes at all on the court. But sometimes I get a chance to play a little bit. I think that’s better than what I thought.”
Yang’s Performance in the G League and Rising Stars Selection
Yang has found greater success with Rip City Remix, Portland’s G League affiliate, where he has played eight games, averaging 17.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game. His strong showings earned him a place on the Rising Stars G League team, a milestone he did not expect but embraces enthusiastically.
Yang remarked through an interpreter,
“Recognition for my whole year … working and improving.”
He added,
“That’s the biggest dream for any basketball player anywhere. To step onto the All-Star court to play. I will feel really happy, just won’t believe it. I think I will feel really good.”
Blazers’ Rising Stars Clash Highlights Team Development
This matchup between Clingan and Yang reflects the broader story of the Portland Trail Blazers’ evolving roster and development strategy. Clingan’s established role and impressive statistics provide a foundation for the team’s rebuilding efforts, while Yang’s growth storyline embodies the challenges faced by international rookies adapting to the NBA.
As the Rising Stars Challenge unfolds, the event offers the league and fans a glimpse at the future of professional basketball. Fans in Inglewood and worldwide will witness not only the competitive spirit of these two promising centers but also the ongoing narrative of their personal journeys and professional progress. The outcome may symbolically represent the Blazers’ youth movement’s direction and the potential impact of Yang Hansen Rising Stars across upcoming seasons.
