Jeremy Lin hits back in classy fashion after former NBA star accuses him of ‘wanting to be black’ because of his new dreadlocks
Asian-American Lin replies with praise for critic – who ironically has a tattoo with Chinese characters
Brooklyn Nets guard Jeremy Lin said he was grateful to former Nets star Kenyon Martin for a stinging racially overtoned rebuke about his new dreadlocks hairstyle.
Lin, who outlined the reasons for wearing dreadlocks in a Players Tribune website essay on Tuesday, was called out for his choice in an Instagram posting by Martin, the top pick of the 2000 NBA Draft who helped the Nets twice reach the NBA Finals.
“Do I need to remind this damn boy that his last name Lin?” Martin said. “Come on man, let’s stop this man, these people. There’s no way possible that he would have made it on one of our teams with that bull**** going on on his head.
“You want to be black. We get it. But the last name is Lin.”
After receiving negative feedback and comments, Martin took to Instagram again to explain his comments.
A post shared by Straightjacketcrazy. (@kenyonmartinsr) on Oct 4, 2017 at 11:50am PDT
“That man grown. That man can rock whatever hairstyle he want to rock. That don’t mean I have to like it or agree with it,” Martin said.