Chinese NBA rookie reveals dad's crucial advice before embarking on basketball journey

The Portland Trail Blazers acquired the draft rights to -foot- center Yang Hansen out of China this summer in a arrangement with the Memphis Grizzlies and he s looking to make an immediate impact Yang is relatively unknown to fair-weather basketball fans He s been playing basketball in China since he was in elementary school and eventually made his way to the Chinese Basketball Association CBA playing for the Qingdao Eagles CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS COMHe was a CBA All-Star in and and named the Defensive Performer of the Year before he was brought up in NBA circles He s set to become a key part of the Trail Blazers under head coach Chauncey Billups Yang whose father Yang Lin was a pro basketball contestant opened up about why he decided to play basketball in an interview with The Washington Post He reported the paper that he was set to quit sports altogether at the age of when he refused to practice outside in the heat His father urged him to work hard at something that could help him get into college According to the account Yang tried several sprots before he returned to basketball I wasn t that good at school and I was a little bit of a fat boy he advised The Washington Post My father informed me to try specific sports figure out what you want to do and lose selected weight My father explained me Don t become fat LEBRON JAMES' FORMER TEAMMATE EXPLAINS WHY IT 'SUCKS' PLAYING WITH HIMYang is set to become the ninth Chinese NBA competitor when he eventually takes the floor for Portland He will follow in the footsteps of the legendary Yao Ming and former star Yi Jianlian Cui Yongxi is the only other current Chinese athlete He played five games for the Brooklyn Nets last season but his year was cut short when he tore his ACL in a G League tournament Yang acknowledged the pressures that will come from being from China and playing in the NBA It s a lot of pressure for sure he communicated the newspaper I just want to show the people in China I m doing good Before I headed to the States Yao called me and shared specific of his experiences He informed me to enjoy your food enjoy your drinks enjoy your sleep and enjoy everything Yao is the icon for Chinese basketball He s special I m just a rookie I can feel a lot of expectations and anticipation on me Yao is number one in paradise Compared to him I m cold ash in a pot Follow Fox News Digital s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter