Jeremy Lin sits out G League, stands up for Asian-American community in face of Covid-19 racism
- ‘Being a 9 year NBA veteran doesn‘t protect me from being called ‘coronavirus’ on the court,’ says Santa Cruz Warriors star
- The 32-year-old says this generation is ‘tired’ in social media post where he calls out racism against community
Jeremy Lin sat out another G League game but the Santa Cruz Warriors star has stood up for Asian Americans who are “tired” in the face of growing racism.
He also spoke of his own experience, telling fans that “Being a 9 year NBA veteran doesn‘t protect me from being called ‘coronavirus’ on the court”.
The 32-year-old had appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area television and the CBS podcast The Debrief with Major Garrett this week to talk about the growing number of hate crimes against the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community, where he spoke of his “anger” and “heartbreak”.
He then posted on his own social media on Thursday, after the Warriors’ win over the Memphis Hustle, to elaborate.
“Something is changing in this generation of Asian-Americans. We are tired of being told that we don‘t experience racism, we are tired of being told to keep our heads down and not make trouble,” Lin wrote on his Instagram and Facebook accounts.
“We are tired of Asian-American kids growing up and being asked where they’re REALLY from, of having our eyes mocked, of being objectified as exotic or being told we’re inherently unattractive.
G League absence ‘just a minor setback’, says Jeremy Lin
“We are tired of the stereotypes in Hollywood affecting our psyche and limiting who we think we can be. We are tired of being invisible, of being mistaken for our colleague or told our struggles aren’t as real.
“I want better for my elders who worked so hard and sacrificed so much to make a life for themselves here. I want better for my niece and nephew and future kids. I want better for the next generation of Asian-American athletes than to have to work so hard to just be ‘deceptively athletic’.”
Lin has spoken of that perception before.
“Everything I’ve always done has been deceptive,” he told Stephen J Dubner on Freakonomics Radio in 2018. “So I’ve never been athletic, I’ve just been deceptively athletic. I’ve never been quick, I’ve only been deceptively quick.”
This was despite being tied with John Wall for speed when his numbers from the 2012 Portland Invitational Combine were compared.
“Being an Asian-American doesn‘t mean we don’t experience poverty and racism,” Lin continued in his social media posts.
“Being a 9 year NBA veteran doesn‘t protect me from being called “coronavirus” on the court.
“Being a man of faith doesn‘t mean I don’t fight for justice, for myself and for others.
“So here we are again, sharing how we feel. Is anyone listening?”
Lin, who spent last season with the Beijing Ducks in the Chinese Basketball Association, had previously criticised US president Donald Trump over using the term “Chinese virus” for Covid-19.
He also launched a charity initiative ahead of the G League season, supporting Bay Area youth programmes, as he attempts to make an NBA comeback.
While Lin sat out Thursday’s game, his third absence in a row, he was part of the pregame practice. The Warriors (7-3) are fourth in the G League standings and on course for the play-offs.
Source: https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3123225/lin-sits-out-g-league-stands-asian-american-community-face-covid
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