Jeremy Lin gave up being a go-to player making millions in China to come back to the G-League, all in hopes of getting another chance in the NBA. He signed with the Santa Cruz Warriors made headlines when speaking out against the rash of crimes against Asians in America — saying a player called him “coronavirus” on the court — and he had some pretty good games for Santa Cruz in the G-League bubble this year. Lin averaged 19.8 points a game in the G-League and shot 42% from 3.
But the call-up to the NBA never came.
Thursday night, with the deadline for a call-up past, Jeremy Lin posted a heartbreaking and frustrated farewell to the NBA on social media.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CPB-Db-huo6/
“For months, I saw others get contracts, chances, opportunities. I told myself I just need ONE ten-day contract, one chance to get back on the floor and I would blow it out the water. After all that’s how my entire career started – off one chance to prove myself. For reasons I’ll never fully know, that chance never materialized. But I proved I’m better than ever and an NBA player.”
Whatever the reasons for Lin not getting a call-up, one thing he had working against him was his age. At 32, he is on the back end of his basketball career, and often teams are looking to the G-League (and to 10-day contracts) for players who are younger and can develop and grow with the team for many years.
Lin doesn’t say he is done with basketball, although he isn’t sure what is next. Maybe a return to China where he averaged 22.3 points and 5.6 assists a game; maybe he plays somewhere else. He will have options.
Just not in the NBA.