Opinion | Jeremy Lin used to ‘run’ from role of representing Asia but says he now embraces it after Toronto Raptors debut
- Taiwanese-American NBA star opens up on struggling with the pressure of being Asian role model
- Now Toronto Raptors’ Lin is proudly embracing his status in a city and franchise that’s a perfect fit
Jeremy Lin got a standing ovation when he stepped onto an NBA court for the first time as a Toronto Raptor (let’s just forget that his first touch of the ball resulted in a turnover).
On and off the court, the trade for the former Atlanta Hawk seems like a perfect fit for the player and the Canadian franchise.
He did well in his debut with eight points, five rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block in 25 minutes of the 129-120 win over the Washington Wizards.
The 30-year-old knows Canada well. He rehabilitated his knee injury in Vancouver for six months last year and is excited about how he will fit in to the city and the country, which has a large Asian population.
“When the organisation as a whole wants you, from front office to coaches to players, that means something,” he said. “I’ve been in situations where maybe one of the three, two of the three didn’t want me.