Yang Hansen's first technical foul came somewhat unjustly.

In the Trail Blazers' victory against the Wizards, Yang Hansen finally received nearly 11 minutes of court time. His last NBA game with over 10 minutes of play was two months ago. What's more significant is that Yang Hansen played for 10 minutes and 45 seconds straight, allowing him sufficient opportunity to demonstrate his improvements from recent workouts.

Statistically, Yang Hansen made 1 out of 5 shots, missed both three-point attempts, and hit all 4 free throws, totaling 6 points, 4 rebounds (1 offensive), and 1 block, with 2 turnovers and 3 fouls, and a +1 plus-minus. Many might criticize based on these numbers—only 1 out of 5 shots, no threes, and plenty of turnovers and fouls.

But those who actually watched the game could see Yang Hansen's progress. Most notably, after playing for 10 minutes and 45 seconds, he showed no signs of fatigue; at least for the intensity during garbage time, Yang Hansen can now keep up. Whether in terms of physical confrontation or pace, he no longer appears out of sync.

On offense, Yang Hansen's approach has changed significantly compared to before. He no longer insists on posting up for low-post plays but instead engages more in pick-and-roll actions, playing as a finishing center facing the basket. Today, he missed two layups that were regrettable—both could have been scored, but his finishing touch was slightly off.

His only made basket was a two-handed dunk in a fast-break after receiving a pass from a teammate. The finish itself is unquestionable, but his awareness in joining the fast break and his running speed have greatly improved since the start of the season.

On defense, Yang Hansen's biggest improvement is his quickness, successfully completing multiple rim-protection tasks. In one block, he first cut off the guard's driving path, then immediately turned and used both hands to block the shot after the opponent passed the ball. The move was clean, leaving no chance for the referee to call a foul.

Today on defense, Yang Hansen performed at the level of a reliable rotation player, maximizing his height and reach advantages. His drop-back defensive style naturally gets punished by some mid-to-long-range shots, but his presence under the rim created substantial deterrence, which is a success. In the final moments of the game, Yang Hansen's impact was full—he grabbed an offensive rebound, got fouled, and made all his free throws.

Splitt's praise for Yang Hansen wasn't just polite talk; he said, "Yang Hansen played well today, with good positioning and movement, protecting rebounds and delivering a block. You can see his improvement. Compared to the start of the season, his playing time has decreased, but I believe he has grown into a better player than he was then."

It's worth noting that Yang Hansen also received his first career technical foul today. In the final moments of the game, Yang Hansen and Rice were jostling under the basket. Rice grabbed him and threw him to the floor, prompting a whistle. I initially thought it was a rebounding foul on Rice, but the referee called a double technical foul instead.

Yang Hansen and Rice had some physical contact in the preceding plays, and Rice's temper flared, leading to this incident. Seeing friction between the players, the referee didn't bother identifying who started it and called a double technical foul. Moreover, no rebounding foul was called on Rice.

Yang Hansen sat on the floor grinning, thinking Rice was getting heated. After standing up, he shrugged and smirked at Rice. Yang Hansen's mentality is undoubtedly positive—he stays cheerful whether in favorable or tough situations. But I believe in conflicts, one should still show some toughness to let opponents know you're not easy to bully.

However, this play also reveals Yang Hansen's relaxed mindset. His confidence has recently risen, and he plays very freely on the court. Even with poor shooting today, it didn't affect his attitude. He likely used some subtle moves earlier to unsettle his opponent, and when fouled, he clearly demonstrated his hands, acting like a seasoned veteran.

Yang Hansen's recent confidence boost stems from his outstanding performances in the G League. In a crucial playoff positioning game, he shot 7 out of 12, scoring 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, sealing the game with 5 consecutive points.

Earlier, he had a perfect 9-for-9 game, dunking over opponents, executing more rolls and hooks, handling G League-level interior play effortlessly. Even earlier, he had a 14-out-of-16 game, scoring a season-high 31 points with 8 rebounds and 3 assists, dominating the court.

Yang Hansen's ability to excel in the G League indicates his tremendous growth this season. At the start, we often said his pace seemed mismatched with others, but now he fully matches opponents. His physical condition visibly improved, and he even mentioned gaining weight compared to last year.

Ultimately, in the G League regular season, Yang Hansen averaged 17.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game, with a 62.4% field goal percentage, 32.1% from three-point range, and 75.0% free throw accuracy. He was the key contributor to the team's playoff qualification. The G League playoffs start on April 1, and Yang Hansen is expected to participate.

Honestly, this season Yang Hansen may struggle to break into the Trail Blazers' rotation, but as long he keeps improving, even slowly, it's fine. On this inevitable path of growth, every step Yang Hansen takes will not be wasted.