PALO ALTO, Calif. — Jeremy Lin cringes a bit of bit when he hears individuals speak about his notorious Linsanity run.
The Palo Alto native and former NBA standout by no means thought he would nonetheless be listening to tales about his legendary two-week stretch in the course of the 2011-12 season over a decade later, however studying about how he served as an inspiration to Asian Individuals brings a smile to his face.
“Each time I hear about (Linsanity), I’m like, ‘Don’t inform me how outdated you have been when it occurred,’” Lin told the Bay Area News Group on Saturday. “I didn’t suppose we might nonetheless be speaking about that proper now. However yearly I’ve seen that the story continues to be very prevalent. It’s nonetheless very related. Lots of people nonetheless care about it. Seeing individuals inform me they have been in center college or elementary college when it occurred, it’s loopy seeing time fly.”
Simply 13 years after Linsanity shook up the sports activities world, Lin is grateful to have impressed the subsequent technology of Asian American basketball gamers. On Saturday, he held his inaugural JLIN NextGen Basketball Camp in Palo Alto, the place he introduced collectively the highest Asian American school basketball gamers from throughout the nation for 2 days of skilled coaching and intense exercises.
The gamers who attended Saturday’s camp weren’t even in highschool when Lin had his breakout second. However studying from the person who impressed them to attempt to play basketball on the highest ranges was a dream come true for the group of 12 gamers.
“I used to be simply tremendous excited that he gave me the chance to return and was excited after I noticed the invite to the camp,” mentioned Stanford guard Ryan Agarwal. “It was loopy to see his longevity and his greatness even when he wasn’t within the media highlight.”
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Stanford basketball participant Ryan Agarwal, proper, dribbles the ball in the course of the NextGen school basketball camp taught by former NBA star Jeremy Lin on the Pinewood Actions Middle in Palo Alto, Calif., on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)
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Stanford basketball participant Ryan Agarwal, proper, dribbles the ball in the course of the NextGen school basketball camp taught by former NBA star Jeremy Lin on the Pinewood Actions Middle in Palo Alto, Calif., on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)
Lin simply accomplished his fifteenth professional season, at present taking part in for the New Taipei Kings of the Taiwanese Skilled Basketball League. As his taking part in days wind down, Lin, 35, believes the subsequent part of his life might be to assist mentor the subsequent technology of Asian American gamers to get to the place he as soon as was.
“I undoubtedly see myself moving into this house. To what diploma or what that function seems like, I don’t know,” Lin mentioned. “However I’ll for positive be pouring into the subsequent technology and sharing my ideas. Hopefully, I can import some knowledge.
“This camp is an enormous first step. We’ve by no means accomplished one thing like this. I assume that is considerably of a transition for me from being a participant to being a coach.”
Lin’s NBA profession took him to Charlotte, Brooklyn, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Toronto and even his hometown Golden State Warriors. Nevertheless it was with the New York Knicks the place Lin grew to become a worldwide star.
Over a two-week stretch in the course of the 2011-2012 season, Lin went from almost out of the league to changing into the Knicks’ star level guard. He landed on the quilt of Time Journal and on Sports activities Illustrated in back-to-back weeks after averaging 25 factors, 9.2 assists whereas main the Knicks to an 8-1 file in that interval.
Annika Shah nonetheless remembers staying up late to observe all of Lin’s legendary run.
“I don’t suppose I’ll ever neglect Linsanity and the run that he had,” Shah mentioned. “Each single second to that a part of his story was simply outstanding and it impressed loads of Asian athletes. It gave us hope that possibly if we will work laborious sufficient, we will put one other Asian athlete on a platform that he has.”
Lin’s impression for Asian American basketball gamers has been felt because the years go by.
In the course of the 2011-2012 season, Lin was the one Asian American participant within the league. In 2025, Jordan Clarkson, Jalen Inexperienced, Kyle Anderson, Jaylin Williams and Johnny Juzang have been all gamers of Asian American descent to swimsuit up in an NBA recreation. On the ladies’s facet, Valkyries guard Kaitlyn Chen grew to become the primary Taiwanese American participant to be drafted to a WNBA workforce.
“We’re undoubtedly seeing extra illustration,” Lin mentioned. “I’ve a small function in simply impacting who I can and sharing data with who I can. One of many issues that I’ve seen that’s disappointing to me is that we’ve seen some gamers from the older generations rag on the brand new gamers from the youthful technology.
“I believe we should always have loads of mutual respect and appreciation for one another. So any approach I may also help gamers, large or small or loads or a bit of, I really feel like that’s my obligation. To offer again to the sport.”
Saturday’s camp gave the 12 school gamers a glance into how Lin ready in his offseason.
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UC Irvine’s Myles Che, left, pays consideration as former NBA star Jeremy Lin teaches basketball abilities to gamers throughout his NextGen school basketball camp on the Pinewood Actions Middle in Palo Alto, Calif., on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)
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UC Irvine’s Myles Che, left, pays consideration as former NBA star Jeremy Lin teaches basketball abilities to gamers throughout his NextGen school basketball camp on the Pinewood Actions Middle in Palo Alto, Calif., on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Space Information Group)
Lin rotated by means of intense capturing and ball dealing with drills and even took the gamers by means of a strenuous lifting session earlier than they touched a basketball. However whilst a coach, Lin didn’t decrease his depth as every participant tried to get by means of the grueling exercises.
Identical to he was drenched in sweat after his recreation winner in opposition to the Toronto Raptors in 2012, Lin was soaked once more, this time as he gave out directions and demonstrated drill after drill. He anticipated the gamers to comply with swimsuit, practising with the identical sense of urgency he did when he was nonetheless attempting to earn an NBA contract.
“This opened up my eyes to see the world from a professional’s perspective,” Agarwal mentioned. “It was cool to simply perceive that I can be taught from anybody. He even mentioned he might be taught from us. And so I believe him saying he might be taught from youngsters at his personal camp, I believe that humbles us to be prepared to be taught from anybody that we’re round.”
Lin hasn’t performed in an NBA recreation since 2019, the yr he received an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors workforce that defeated the Warriors of their final recreation at Oracle Area.
Now in his mid-30s, Lin mentioned he needs to retire on his personal accord whether or not that’s abroad or within the NBA.
“I need to have the ability to exit not as a result of I can’t play or can’t bodily play. I need to have the ability to exit the way in which I need to exit,” Lin mentioned. “The sport has given loads to me, however discovering that good center floor of, ‘Hey, possibly I might play a bit of bit extra, however I don’t have to.’ I’ve accomplished loads in my taking part in profession, so I’m nonetheless attempting to determine that steadiness.”
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