China’s Yang Hansen was the No. 16 pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
The pick was a surprise to everyone except for the Memphis Grizzlies, who made the pick, and the Portland Trail Blazers, who traded No. 11 pick Cedric Coward for Hansen's draft rights.
On ABC, ESPN's draft experts Bob Myers and Stephen A. Smith were not prepared for the pick.
"I'm going to admit I do not have the scouting report. I'm just going to put myself out there," said Myers after the pick was announced by commissioner Adam Silver.
After host Kevin Negandhi gave viewers some background on Hansen while highlights played, Myers said no one had Hansen going in this spot, but that doesn't make it the wrong pick. (ESPN's latest mock had Hansen going No. 36 to the Brooklyn Nets.)
When Stephen A. Smith finally spoke up he delivered a line that will most certainly follow him around online for quite some time:
"I know nothing about this pick whatsoever, other than what Kevin Negandhi has told the world."
Smith later added that "I knew nothing about this guy," while breaking down the Blazers' possible motivation for acquiring their new rookie.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ESPN’s NBA Draft Experts Did Not Have a Scouting Report on No. 16 Pick Yang Hansen.
