Warriors’ Jeremy Lin says he’s been called ‘coronavirus’ on the court – SF Gate

Jeremy Lin, currently with the Santa Cruz Warriors in the NBA's G-League, wrote a long Instagram post sounding off on the wave of anti-Asian American violence across the country.

"Something is changing in this generation of Asian Americans," he wrote. "We are tired of being told that we don't experience racism, we are tired of being told to keep our heads down and not make trouble. We are tired of Asian American kids growing up and being asked where they're REALLY from, of having our eyes mocked, of being objectified as exotic or being told we're inherently unattractive."

Lin's "tired of being told that we don't experience racism" line is likely a reference to some involved in social justice movements painting Asian Americans as people of privilege not deserving of the same protections granted to other minority groups. In November 2020, a school district in Washington received national attention after deciding that Asians Americans would no longer be classified as "people of color" because of levels of educational achievement.

"We are tired of the stereotypes in Hollywood affecting our psyche and limiting who we think we can be," Lin continued. "We are tired of being invisible, of being mistaken for our colleague or told our struggles aren't as real. I want better for my elders who worked so hard and sacrificed so much to make a life for themselves here. I want better for my niece and nephew and future kids. I want better for the next generation of Asian American athletes than to have to work so hard to just be 'deceptively athletic.'"

Lin and other Asian American athletes have often been referred to as "deceptively" or "sneakily" athletic in scouting reports contrasting them to their Black counterparts. He concludes his post by stating he's been called "coronavirus" on the court.

"Being an Asian American doesn't mean we don't experience poverty and racism," he writes. "Being a 9 year NBA veteran doesn't protect me from being called 'coronavirus' on the court. Being a man of faith doesn't mean I don't fight for justice, for myself and for others."

Lin has appeared in five games for the Santa Cruz Warriors this season.

Excerpt from:

Warriors' Jeremy Lin says he's been called 'coronavirus' on the court - SF Gate