After Jeremy Lin posted on Facebook that another player called him 'coronavirus' while playing inside the court, the NBA has reportedly launched an investigation into the anti-Asian racism case in its developmental league also known as the G-League.
Lin posted in his account on Friday night, addressing the alleged racism in the context of an ongoing surge of anti-Asian violence that was taking place in the states of California and New York. He also shared that even NBA players who are well-known are exempted from the said discrimination and even harassment.
Jeremy Lin Claims of Being Called 'Coronavirus'
According to Daily Wire, the Asian-American basketball player, Lin, who also has roots in Taiwan, is currently a player in the G-League or developmental league, and is considered as one of the best-known Asian-American players in the basketball scene. Lin has been part of the league for almost a decade.
He also wrote on Facebook that as an Asian-American, it does not mean that they do not experience poverty and racism. Lin also emphasized that being a 9-year NBA veteran does not protect him from being called 'coronavirus' inside the court. And being a man of faith does not mean he is not fighting for justice for himself and for others.
Jeremy Lin also mentioned that he wants better for his elderly who have worked so hard and sacrificed so much in making a life for themselves in the West. The Asian-American basketball player also stated that he wants better not only for his niece and nephew but also for future kids.
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Lin emphasized that he wants better for the next generation of Asian-American athletes than to have worked so hard to just be deceptively athletic.
Based on the report of The Athletic, an official of the NBA confirmed that the league is currently conducting an open investigation into the allegations of Lin. The NBA has been on a mission of addressing racism and social justice as the league embraced the Black Lives Matter movement. It also encourages its players to speak out on issues of racial violence and racial discrimination.
Despite raising the issue, Lin stated that he will not be naming the player who allegedly used the slur because he does not believe in personal attacks.
Jeremy Lin also released a statement related to the issue saying that he knows that some will be disappointed. But he decided not to name anyone as he believes that what good it does in this situation for someone to be torn down, and it does not make his community safer or even solve a long-term problem related to racism, CBS Sports reported.
Lin's allegations were connected by The New York Times to the larger narrative of rising violence against Asian-Americans and especially Asian immigrants, as it already resulted in numerous deadly attacks.
In 2019, only three hate crimes have been recorded by the New York Police Department with Asian American victims, but in 2020, it surged to 28 cases.
Based on the reports, the recent cases linked to Asian-Americans can also be traced back to discrimination due to coronavirus.
