Challenges in the Life of Jeremy Lin in a Detailed Timeline

Resilience and perseverance in the journey of Jeremy Lin. A timeline of obstacles and growth.

Jeremy Lin is a Taiwanese-American professional basketball player currently playing for the New Taipei Kings. He rose to prominence in 2012 with the New York Knicks, leading a remarkable turnaround that became known as "Linsanity." Lin holds the distinction of being the first American of Chinese or Taiwanese descent to play in the NBA and the first Asian American player to win an NBA championship, achieving this feat with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

2008: Lin's Comments on Recruitment Bias

In 2008, Jeremy Lin stated that his ethnicity affected the way coaches recruited him, suggesting he would have been treated differently if he were of a different race.

2009: Time Article on Racial Profiling

In 2009, Sean Gregory of Time magazine wrote that racial profiling may have contributed to Jeremy Lin not receiving Division I basketball scholarship offers.

December 9, 2011: Waived by the Warriors

On December 9, 2011, the Warriors waived Jeremy Lin to free up salary cap space.

2011: Waived by Warriors and Rockets, joined Knicks

In 2011, Jeremy Lin was waived by both the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets before joining the New York Knicks early in the 2011–12 season.

February 2012: Mayweather's Racist Tweet

In February 2012, Floyd Mayweather Jr. posted a tweet saying Jeremy Lin's hype was due to his Asian ethnicity and that Black players perform similarly without the same praise. NBC New York responded by stating that no player of any race had achieved what Lin did in his first four starts for the Knicks.

February 17, 2012: ESPN's Racial Slur

On February 17, 2012, ESPN used the racial slur "Chink in the Armor" in a headline after Lin's nine turnovers in a loss to the Hornets. The headline was removed after 35 minutes, and ESPN apologized; the editor was fired. Jeremy Lin reached out to the editor to say that he did not think the headline was meant to be racially charged. Knicks radio announcer Spero Dedes also used the phrase on 1050 ESPN New York.

2012: Coach's Observations on Recruiting

In 2012, Lin's high school basketball coach, Peter Diepenbrock, observed that he did not think Lin's race affected his recruiting until he later saw 10 Division I coaches express interest in a black student he considered a "nice junior college player".

2012: Knicks didn't match Rockets' offer

In 2012, the Knicks did not match the Houston Rockets' offer to Jeremy Lin, leading to his departure from the team; Lin deduced the team's decision when they signed Raymond Felton instead.

2013: Lin's Gut Feeling and Stern's Belief on Discrimination

Based on comments that his talents were "deceptive", in 2013, Jeremy Lin stated in a 60 Minutes interview that he had a "gut feeling" that his ethnicity contributed to him being undrafted. NBA commissioner David Stern also believed Lin was not drafted due to discrimination, citing uncertainty about whether it was due to his Harvard background or his Asian ethnicity.

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January 23, 2015: Lin benched by the Lakers

On January 23, 2015, Lakers coach Byron Scott promoted rookie Jordan Clarkson to start over Ronnie Price and chose not to play a healthy Jeremy Lin in a blowout loss to San Antonio. Lin had previously played in each game of the season.

2015: Lin Discusses Perceptions of Asians in Sports

In 2015, Jeremy Lin told Pablo S. Torre in ESPN The Magazine, that perceptions of Asians affected his reputation as a player who was turnover-prone or unable to use both hands, despite statistics showing improvement in these areas. He also noted his reputation as a poor defender lacking speed, while his former coach stated he was one of the quickest athletes they had worked with. Lin felt his performance with the Knicks may have received excessive publicity due to his ethnicity, and that Asians don't get the respect they deserve in sports.

July 2016: Resentment towards Lin

In July 2016, former Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni recalled that some players on the Knicks resented Lin during the Linsanity period, an account corroborated by Lin's former Knicks teammate Amar'e Stoudemire.

December 12, 2016: Lin returns to action after hamstring strain

On December 12, 2016, Jeremy Lin returned to action for Brooklyn after missing time due to a strained left hamstring. He scored 10 points in a 122–118 loss to the Houston Rockets.

2016: Lin Reflects on Linsanity and Race

In 2016, after returning to New York City, Jeremy Lin stated that "Linsanity" likely wouldn't have been as significant if he were of a different skin color, benefiting him in some ways, but also acknowledging that stereotypes created obstacles to getting opportunities.

February 24, 2017: Lin returns to Nets' starting lineup

On February 24, 2017, Jeremy Lin was back in the starting lineup for the Brooklyn Nets after missing 26 games with a hamstring strain. He scored seven points in a 129–109 loss to the Denver Nuggets.

October 18, 2017: Lin suffers season-ending injury

On October 18, 2017, during the Nets' season opener against the Indiana Pacers, Jeremy Lin suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee, causing him to miss the remainder of the season.

2017: Impact of patellar tendon injury

In June 2019, Jeremy Lin acknowledged that his 2017 patellar tendon injury continued to limit his athleticism and affect his ability to drive to the basket.

February 1, 2020: CBA postpones season due to COVID-19

On February 1, 2020, the CBA postponed the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

May 2020: Speaks Out Against Anti-Asian Racism

During an NBA Together Virtual Roundtable in May 2020, Jeremy Lin further spoke out against anti-Asian racism, urging empathy, thoughtful communication, and calling out ignorant behavior.

December 19, 2020: Warriors plan to sign and release Lin

Golden State planned to sign and release Jeremy Lin on December 19, 2020, to secure his G League rights for Santa Cruz, but they were initially unable to obtain a clearance letter from the Ducks.

February 2021: Lin Speaks Out Against Asian Hate

In February 2021, Jeremy Lin was called "coronavirus" by a fellow G League player, prompting him to speak out against anti-Asian sentiment during the COVID-19 pandemic and emphasize the importance of education.