By Randall Yip, AsAmNews Executive Editor
Jeremy Lin announced on Weibo Wednesday that he’s leaving the Guangzhou Loong Lions early with ten games left in the season.
The Chinese American hoopster posted on December 28 “I have to regret to tell the fans that I decided to end the journey of this CBA season early. Thanks to the CBA, club, to my coaching team and teammates, and my fans.”
The Chinese-state-affiliated media CGTN Sports Scene reposted the announcement in English.
In a post on Instagram, Lin explained further. . “I still love the game of basketball and look forward to getting back to the court one day. As for now, I’m gonna go back to the US to rest and reset before I make a decision with my family for my next step,” he said.
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Lin’s averaged just under 12 minutes a game this season over 7 games. That’s about half of what he played last season in 23 games. As a result, he scored just 6.9 points per game this season versus 13.4 last season.
It’s unclear what Lin has planned for the future, but his abrupt departure raises questions about whether the basketball career of the 34 year old may be over.
Lin has struggled to get back into the NBA since becoming the first Asian American player to win an NBA championship in 2019 in limited playing time. He became a free agent after that season, but no NBA team picked him up.
Instead, he went to China to play for the Beijing Ducks before returning to the NBA in 2021 to play for the Santa Cruz Warriors in the G League. Despite averaging 19.8 points per game, no NBA team signed him.
He returned to China to play once again in the Chinese Basketball Association.
Lin never returned to glory after rising to prominence in the 2011-2012 season with the New York Knicks in what became known as Linsanity. In 12 starts, he averaged 22.5 points per game, but an injury ended his season.
That period in Lin’s career is documented in the movie 38 at the Garden which is currently streaming on HBO and previously in the documentary Linsanity in 2013. In 2011, he established the Jeremy Lin foundation which is dedicated to serving low-income Asian American youth.
Earlier this month, it announced it had teamed up with The Asian American Foundation to award $1.5 million to nine non-profit groups in New York City.
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