What Happened to Jeremy Shu-How Lin?

Jeremy Shu-How Lin, born on August 23, 1988, in Palo Alto, California, carved an unconventional path to professional basketball. Despite excelling at Palo Alto High School and becoming a standout at Harvard University, where he was a two-time First-team All-Ivy League selection, Lin went undrafted in the 2010 NBA Draft. He signed with his hometown Golden State Warriors in 2010 but saw limited playing time, including assignments to the NBA Development League. After being waived by both the Warriors and the Houston Rockets, he joined the New York Knicks in late 2011.

The 2011-2012 NBA season marked the unprecedented rise of 'Linsanity.' Thrust into the starting lineup for the struggling Knicks in February 2012 due to injuries, Lin captivated the sports world with a series of electrifying performances. He led the team to a seven-game winning streak, scoring 25 points against the New Jersey Nets in his first start, outscoring Kobe Bryant with 38 points against the Los Angeles Lakers, and hitting a game-winning three-pointer against the Toronto Raptors. This unexpected surge catapulted him to international fame, making him a cultural icon and the first American-born player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent to achieve such prominence in the NBA.

Following 'Linsanity,' Lin signed with the Houston Rockets in July 2012, where he played for two seasons. His NBA journey continued with stints at the Los Angeles Lakers (2014-2015), Charlotte Hornets (2015-2016), Brooklyn Nets (2016-2018), and Atlanta Hawks (2018-2019). In 2019, he joined the Toronto Raptors and became the first Asian American player to win an NBA championship, despite playing limited minutes in the playoffs.

After his NBA championship, Lin sought opportunities overseas. He played for the Beijing Ducks in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) from 2019 to 2020, earning an All-Star selection. He briefly returned to the G-League with the Santa Cruz Warriors in 2021 in an attempt to rejoin the NBA, before returning to the CBA with the Beijing Ducks and later the Guangzhou Loong Lions. His career then took him to Taiwan's P. League+, where he played for the Kaohsiung 17LIVE Steelers in 2023, leading the league in assists. He then joined the New Taipei Kings in 2023, winning the PLG championship in 2024 and the Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL) championship in 2025, where he was also named the league's MVP and Finals MVP.

Jeremy Lin officially announced his retirement from professional basketball on August 31, 2025, concluding a 15-year career. In his post-playing career, Lin has remained connected to basketball and other ventures. In February 2026, he participated in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. Most notably, as of June 2, 2026, Lin joined ESPN as a studio analyst for their coverage of the 2026 NBA Finals, making his debut on SportsCenter following Game 1. He has expressed serious interest in pursuing broadcasting long-term. Beyond basketball, Lin is an entrepreneur and angel investor, having founded JLIN LLC, a company focused on managing partnerships and investments in the U.S. and Asia. He has invested in companies like Rukita and Jubilee Media. Additionally, he leads the Jeremy Lin Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to serving under-resourced AAPI youth and other youth of color, and has been a UNICEF Ambassador since 2021.