By Jason Cruz
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Welcome to another edition of The Layup Drill. The NBA is back this month!
Handsome Young mania starts in Portland
Hansen Yang
The NBA returns in October and there are many players to look out for. In Portland, 20-year-old Chinese phenom Hansen Yang is getting acclimated with his new city and fans are clamoring to be a part. Yang was picked in the first round of the NBA draft by the Blazers.
Hansen is still learning English to get acclimated to living in the United States. In a post, he wrote for The Players’ Tribune and shared with Blazers fans how he got interested in basketball.
“As a little kid, I was actually a bit chubby, and I was introduced to basketball because my parents wanted me to stay in shape…haha!” He confided in his column that he did not like basketball at first, as he lived away from his parents to attend a sports academy in the fifth grade. But his father was a big basketball fan and they thought that sending him to a basketball academy may help with his training in the sport.
Yang admitted he wasn’t initially drawn to basketball. He felt others were faster and more invested in the game, while he preferred playing video games or taking naps over watching or studying basketball. At one point, he even considered quitting. But he recalled growing bigger and stronger in high school, and his interest in the sport grew. Watching videos of NBA stars, especially two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets center who plays the same position as Yang, inspired him to take the game more seriously.
In his late teens, people gave him the nickname “Handsome Young” because his last name Yang is pronounced “Young,” and Hansen phonetically sounds like Handsome. As a result, t-shirts were sold with the Handsome Young nickname for Yang.
Yang steadily became a better basketball player. His size and height filled out and he was able to play in China’s top league, the Chinese Basketball Association, when he was 18.
Yang said he doesn’t have a driver’s license so he walks everywhere in Portland and has tried every Chinese restaurant near where he lives in Portland.
The fans in Portland seem to be excited about the rookie from China. The Blazers’ merchandise revenue rose 813% from last year due in large part to Hansen’s jersey sales. In addition, the Blazers’ social media following on Chinese social media platforms have spiked upon the drafting of Yang.
Also of note, the owners of the Chinese Fast Food Restaurant, Panda Express, have purchased an ownership stake in the Portland franchise. The Cherng Family Trust founded by Andrew Cherng and Peggy Cherng, who are the co-owners of Panda Express, have invested in the franchise. They were part of an ownership group that purchased the Blazers from the estate of Paul G. Allen.
Kings sign Phoong Law as patch sponsor
Look for the Sacramento Kings’ jersey patch sponsor this year. It is the first time that an AAPI woman-owned law firm sponsored an NBA team. The patch, allowed by the NBA to generate more revenue for the teams, have been in place since the 2017-2018 season
The “patch partnership” coincides with the team’s commitment to “advancing gender equity and community impact through mentorship, collaboration, and storytelling.” The patch will appear on the left front strap of Kings player jerseys.
“As a woman, an entrepreneur, and a proud Sacramentan, this moment is deeply personal,” said Phoong Law Founder and CEO Anh Phoong in a press release announcing the partnership. A portion of Kings jersey sales during the 2025-26 NBA season will benefit Single Mom Strong, Inc., an organization dedicated to empowering single moms and their children, as well as My Sister’s House, a Sacramento nonprofit providing critical services to women and children impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.
Phoong Law is a personal injury law firm based in Sacramento with locations across California and Nevada.
Clarkson to the Knicks
The New York Knicks signed Jordan Clarkson to a contract this offseason. Clarkson had been playing with the Utah Jazz the past 5 seasons. Clarkson’s agent notified him of the Knicks’ offer while he was watching Wimbledon in London, England. Clarkson, who is entering his 12 season in the NBAoverall, stated that one of the draws in playing for the Knicks was the energy at the arena, Madison Square Garden.
Clarkson, whose mother is Filipino, has embraced his roots since entering the NBA. He has played for the Philippines during the Fiba Basketball World Cup and has entertained playing for the country if they qualify for the Olympics.
Clarkson showed up at the Knicks media day wearing a traditional barong tagalog, a traditional Filipino dress. Also in the rumor mill, Clarkson is reportedly dating Filipina tennis star Alexandra Eala. Eala is coming off of a strong U.S. Open this past August in New York.
Jason can be reached at newstips@nwasianweekly.com.