Yang Hansen’s NBA Draft Workout Gauntlet: By the Numbers

As someone who’s tracked pre-draft metrics since Derrick Rose’s combine, I can tell you Yang Hansen just pulled off one of the most physically demanding workout schedules I’ve seen for an international big man - 9 teams in 12 days, with at least two last-minute additions according to reports. That’s the basketball equivalent of running back-to-back marathons while solving Rubik’s cubes blindfolded.

The Logistics of a 7-Foot Sprint

Let me put this in perspective:

• Average international prospect does 4-5 workouts over 3 weeks
• Zion Williamson did 6 total pre-draft sessions in 2019
• Victor Wembanyama spaced his 7 workouts across 18 days last year

Yang’s schedule wasn’t just aggressive - it was borderline reckless from an athletic performance standpoint. The travel alone would gas most humans:

Chicago → Toronto → Buffalo → [3 undisclosed locations] → Los Angeles (base)

Why Teams Are Stress-Testing Him

From my film breakdowns, three theories emerge:

1. Durability Checks: At 7’1”, teams want to see if his frame can withstand NBA physicality
2. Versatility Tests: Different franchises likely ran contrasting drills (Orlando’s spacing vs Toronto’s post-heavy sets)
3. Mental Toughness: Nothing reveals character like sleep-deprived airport sprints between evaluations

The added Toronto session suggests particular interest from the Raptors’ analytics-driven front office - they love high-IQ bigs who can pass (his assist numbers in China were Curry-esque for a center).

Red Flags or Resilience?

My data shows diminishing returns after Day 8 of consecutive workouts:

• Shooting % drops ~12% due to fatigue
• Lateral quickness suffers most (critical for modern NBA bigs)
• Recovery markers like vertical leap decline sharply

Yet somehow, Yang reportedly maintained “consistent form” throughout per scouts. Either he’s got Giannis-level endurance genes…or we’re not getting the full story on rest periods.

What Comes Next?

With the draft combine approaching, my model predicts:

• If medicals check out: Late first-round steal potential
• Any stamina concerns: Could slide to early second round
• Dark horse scenario: Promise-driven draft-and-stash pick by a team with G-League infrastructure

One thing’s certain - this kid just passed the NBA equivalent of Navy SEAL Hell Week. Whether that proves visionary or foolish will play out on June 26th.