NBA’s Jeremy Lin Talks About Faith, Fame, and Racism
When a basketball player is not drafted out of college, the story’s supposed to be over. But if you’re Jeremy Lin, the first Asian-American NBA superstar, yours isn't. He's one of sports' greatest underdog stories, climaxing in 2012 when Lin led the New York Knicks to an amazing winning streak. The tale is now being told in a big way, hitting the big screen today with the premiere of the film, "Linsanity". Lin believes that his story hinges, not on chance, or even on his remarkable talent, but on God. Here, we discuss his journey and what hurdles he's had to overcome in order to become an inspiration to so many.
JM: You’re often recognized for your strong faith. In light of that, how did you make sense of not being picked in the 2010 NBA draft? Did it test your faith? Strengthen it?
JL: This definitely tested my faith as I was crushed at not being signed, but the people around me kept reminding me that God is still in control. They encouraged me to stay focused on playing well in the Summer League. Thankfully, I signed with the Warriors coming out of Summer League which tremendously strengthened my faith and confirmed that God wanted me to play in the NBA. Before the draft, I had been eating very healthy for a long time. In my frustration at not being drafted, my family and I went to Wingstop where we collectively ate one-hundred chicken wings.
JM: Have you struggled to maintain your faith in a sport that often glorifies things that run counter to Christian values?
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