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 former professional basketball player who triggered the 'Linsanity' phenomenon while playing for the New York Knicks in 2011-2012. As the first American of Chinese or Taiwanese descent in the NBA, he broke barriers and inspired many. Lin also became the first Asian American player to win an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019, cementing his place in basketball history.

Sections (5)

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

2008: Lin's comments on his recruitment

In 2008, Jeremy Lin expressed his belief that his ethnicity affected how coaches recruited him for basketball.

2009: Sean Gregory's speculation in Time

In 2009, Sean Gregory of Time wrote about the possibility of racial profiling contributing to Jeremy Lin not receiving Division I basketball scholarship offers.

July 2011: Advised against participation due to injury

In July 2011, the CTBA announced that Jeremy Lin would not participate in competitions due to a knee injury and advice from the Golden State Warriors medical team.

December 9, 2011: Waived by Golden State Warriors

On December 9, 2011, Jeremy Lin was waived by the Golden State Warriors 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.

2012: Knicks declined to match Rockets offer

During the 2012 offseason, The Knicks encouraged Lin to seek other offers, but declined to match the Rockets offer. Lin then deduced the team's decision when they signed Raymond Felton instead.

2012: Lin's performance and challenges in 2012

Following his star turn for the Knicks in 2012, Jeremy Lin battled inconsistency and injuries, despite establishing himself as a strong offensive player, improving his outside shooting, and becoming difficult to defend due to his ability to draw fouls.

2012: Coach Diepenbrock's observation on race

In 2012, Jeremy Lin's high school basketball coach, Peter Diepenbrock, reflected on how Lin's race may have affected his recruiting, noting an incident where Division I coaches showed interest in a less talented black student.

2013: Lin and Stern's comments on draft

In 2013, Jeremy Lin stated in a 60 Minutes interview that he had a "gut feeling" that his ethnicity contributed to him being undrafted and NBA commissioner David Stern also believed Lin was not drafted due to discrimination.

January 23, 2015: Bench demotion

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

2015: Lin expresses belief on perceptions of Asians affecting reputation

In 2015, Jeremy Lin expressed the belief that perceptions of Asians had affected his reputation as a basketball player and the public's perception of his Knicks performance may have gained excessive publicity due to his ethnicity.

July 2016: Resentment from Knicks players

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

December 12, 2016: Returned from hamstring injury

On December 12, 2016, Jeremy Lin returned to the Brooklyn Nets after missing time due to a strained left hamstring. He scored 10 points in 20 minutes off the bench during a 122–118 loss to the Houston Rockets.

2016: Lin reflects on Linsanity and race

In 2016, Jeremy Lin reflected on how his ethnicity contributed to the Linsanity phenomenon and the stereotypes he had to fight along the way.

February 24, 2017: Return to starting lineup after hamstring strain

On February 24, 2017, Jeremy Lin returned to the Brooklyn Nets' starting lineup after missing 26 games with a hamstring strain. He played under 15 minutes, scoring seven points and five assists in a 129-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets.

October 18, 2017: Season-ending injury

On October 18, 2017, Jeremy Lin suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee during the Brooklyn Nets' season opener against the Indiana Pacers, ending his season.

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

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

December 19, 2020: Golden State unable to secure G League rights

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

February 2021: Lin speaks out against Asian hate

In February 2021, Jeremy Lin spoke out against the prevailing Asian hate sentiment following the COVID-19 pandemic, after being called "coronavirus" by a fellow G League player.

December 2, 2022: Fined by CBA for quarantine comments

On December 2, 2022, Jeremy Lin was fined 10,000 yuan ($1,400) by the CBA for "inappropriate remarks about quarantine hotel-related facilities" during COVID-19 controls in China.