It seems that things haven't gotten any easier for Jeremy Lin, at least in terms of getting past security.
In a recent interview with the New York Post, the newest member of the Brooklyn Nets said that despite having played in the NBA for six seasons -- including that phenomenal little period known as "Linsanity" -- he still gets stopped, singled out and asked for credentials by security as he walks into arenas with his teammates.
I still get stopped when I try to go through away arenas and stuff, and I'm walking with my teammates, and obviously none of them are Asian but I'm the only one that gets stopped, and they ask for my credentials, stuff like that. "Hey, we need your credentials," or "Are you part of the team?" Stuff like that. But I really don't let it affect me... I'm so used to it now. It doesn't bother me.
Lin also says he still regularly encounters racism, from the more subtle stereotypes to really racist comments on social media, but it no longer bothers him like it used to. "I just shake it off, it's not a big deal," he says.
Addressing his fans -- specifically, his Asian American fans -- he urges everyone to keep busting through and breaking stereotypes, never letting others tell you what you can't be or do.
I would just say keep believing in what you feel like you can become and don't let other people tell you, "You can't be this, or can't be that." I think if you look in the sports industry or you look in entertainment and acting and different things like that, Asians are really cornered and put into this box, these type of roles or these type of players. Even for me, before I came along, Asians in basketball were just 7-foot tall dudes from China who people thought were just there because they were tall. We're just gonna keep breaking stereotypes, keep doing things people didn't think we could do. That's what I would say to Asian-American fans.
Unfortunately, Jeremy does not explain the ongoing, much-scrutinized style evolution of his hair. But judging from his latest look, love it or hate it, it appears that's still going to be a thing next season. So there you go.
