PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — The 2026 NBA Summer League is in full swing, and the Portland Trail Blazers are off to a 0-2 start.
Fans shouldn’t be discouraged by this start, however. Summer league is all about development and performance on the court, not necessarily the wins or losses.
Ahead of the start of the Summer League, veteran Portland-Based Trail Blazers reporter Casey Holdahl joined ARC PDX to talk about what to watch for during the games.
Holdahl named sophomore center Yang Hansen as the main player for fans to watch. He listed defense, rebounding, and conditioning as key areas for improvement.
The 2025 first rounder recorded 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists in 26 minutes in the summer league opener against the Phoenix Suns on Friday.
Yang Hansen was ruled out of Sunday’s matchup against Orlando with an illness. It’s unclear if the Chinese big man will suit up when the Blazers take on the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight at 8:00 p.m., on KUNP.
Holdahl also explained how summer league performances translate to the regular season, as well as how the event serves as the first introduction to the NBA for many players.
You can watch the conversation here:
KUNP