Summer League 2025

[zzaj]

Yang does love his spin move. That was pretty sick...gotta admit. Very Sengun, like.

[DusterBuster]

That off the dribble layup starting from the 3PT line was legit special.

Yang has some ‘can’t teach’ feel man.

That spin move too, when a player makes a tough move but does it fluidly and easily, that's how you know you have something... I still have no clue on real NBA game translation... but you see him legit directing traffic like other point bigmen... At pick 16, I get the YOLO and why the team was excited.

[DusterBuster]

Yang does love his spin move. That was pretty sick...gotta admit. Very Sengun, like.

Sengun is probably a better high-watermark for Yang than Jokic obviously. Dude has some real skill and seems dedicated to the game.

He's gonna be a day on fan favorite, you can just feel it. He's gonna put Portland fans in seats even if he only is a bench player the whole season. One of those dudes whos gonna get the loudest applause all game for a backup.

[The Sebastian Express]

I find it incredibly endearing that Yang's translator is sitting at the end of the bench with him and clapping at all the good plays by the rest of the team.

[zzaj]

Yeah, the Arvydas passing is really fun. Going to be a fun year for watching...

[DusterBuster]

Donovan is looking as lean as he is tan. A nice summer to heal that knee that bugged him all season after the first month and to get the conditioning up. I'm really loving the idea of a Clingan-Yang rotation at the five with TimeLord as a mentor and big ball four.

I'm so here for it. Again, I want all the old era guys gone. I don't care about dead cap, I want this core playing and learning together for the next 2 years. I think they have a really interesting core with Scoot, Sharpe, Deni, Camara, Clingan and Yang. I want these core starting and getting all the minutes they can, salary cap be damned during that time. Not interested in any FA signings outside of making sure sure-fire dudes like Camara and Deni are retained. Also no MLE signing or trade into that space is going to do anything but help around the edges (which is what the MLE is for), so I don't care about that. So yeah, deadcap Grant's contract, development as a core group is more important.

[The Sebastian Express]

Yeah, the Arvydas passing is really fun. Going to be a fun year for watching...

This kind of passing with Shaedon, Deni and Toumani as cutters on the team? Even Scoot? And since we apparently insist on keeping Kris, Kris sometimes?

I am exciiiiiited. We might not be good-good this year, but I think we'll be super fun.

[The Sebastian Express]

I take back every moment of confusion and frustration I had on draft night. Forgive me.

[DusterBuster]

Even Sean Highkin who's pretty even keeled with his takes has praise here:

Read on Twitter

[DusterBuster]

Yeah, the Arvydas passing is really fun. Going to be a fun year for watching...

This kind of passing with Shaedon, Deni and Toumani as cutters on the team? Even Scoot? And since we apparently insist on keeping Kris, Kris sometimes?

I am exciiiiiited. We might not be good-good this year, but I think we'll be super fun.

I'm taking the over on the bets this year... all signs point to you being right... this also has the feeling of a team that might be better than they have any right being by just being young dumb and having fun.

[The Sebastian Express]

He missed but the sidestep was fantastic.

[zzaj]

Another thing...this Blazer SL team looks like it has a FOCUS for how they want to play. I can't tell you how long it's been since I've seen something like that from the Blazers. All good omens for next season...

[DusterBuster]

Since I'm already making way too early takes, maybe Rupert actually cracks the rotation and can be a bit of a shooter/scorer off the bench that the team thinks they're missing?

[BlazersBroncos]

He missed but the sidestep was fantastic.

Ya that might not be 2 points but I’ll count it. Unbelievable move. You really only see Joker and Sengun doing that.

Yang really was drafted on his footwork more than anything IMO.

[DusterBuster]

He missed but the sidestep was fantastic.

Ya that might not be 2 points but I’ll count it. Unbelievable move. You really only see Joker and Sengun doing that.

Yang really was drafted on his footwork more than anything IMO.

In time he'll learn to switch hands on that move, but that's a real NBA move that takes skill to even do that, especially someone his size.

I'm digging the Sengun comp. I think if Yang is what the Blazer think he is, I think that's probably his more likely ceiling. Jokic isn't realistic... but Sengun... you squint hard enough, you can see that...

Blazers clearly on cruise control to end this game with the lead they have. No one going as hard as they were to start, which is fine.

At 11 when you're outside of the consensus Top 6 players, I get why the Blazers went high risk / high reward with the choice. I was just laughing on draft day vs being wildly upset at the pick. It was a "put your nuts on the table" pick and I get it after seeing real life action of him. It's easy to see how a scout would watch his game and be all-in to take a risk on your rep.

I forget what reporter it was, maybe Mike Richman, but he was saying he was outside the draft room when the pick was made, and in all his years doing the draft, he had never heard a cheer that loud after they made the Yang pick.

[zzaj]

Lol at Tyson playing like he knows EXACTLY what the Blazers might need in a 14th man.

[The Sebastian Express]

Since I'm already making way too early takes, maybe Rupert actually cracks the rotation and can be a bit of a shooter/scorer off the bench that the team thinks they're missing?

I'm big with Rayan. I think he should get playing time over Kris. I think Rayan has a good seventh man type potential to him where he's a versatile defender off the bench with ballhandling ability and can switch 1-3 on defense.

[Black and Blue]

Really promising showing by Yang in his first game. Footwork, passing and rim protection all seemed elite. He seems like he needs some work on his motor and conditioning as you’d like him to not be so slow in transition, but that is correctable.

I was pretty impressed with Love as well. He looked the part of an NBA player. I think we have our third string PG and Center locked in those two.

Yang is going to be a sensation simply based on crowd noise alone. What a fun draft choice. This roster is going to be a blast to watch night in and night out.

[mighty_duck]

Lots of positives from Yang.
He was being manhandled the whole game, and he held his composure.
Some instances of GS guards who got in layup range with Yang coming in as a help defender, and Yang already got enough respect that they passed it out rather than risk a block.
A lot of good reads both on offense and defense.

Barring injuries, Reath may not see any court time this season (that's a good thing!)

[Dame Lizard]

I won't overrate one Summer League game, I won't overrate one Summer League game, I won't overrate one Summer League game, I won't overrate one Summer League game, I won't overrate one Summer League game, ....

YANG IS CHINESE JOKIC

I've seen enough. Better than Wemby. At least 3 MVPs in his career.