Jeremy Lin Confirmed to Join PLG Kaohsiung Steel in Taiwan, Supports "Great Southern Plan" to Address Imbalance in Taiwanese Basketball
PLG Kaohsiung Steel announced today that Taiwanese-American former NBA star Jeremy Lin has joined the team Jeremy Lin Confirmed to Join PLG Kaohsiung Steel in Taiwan, Supports "Great Southern Plan" to Address Imbalance in Taiwanese Basketball
PLG Kaohsiung Steel announced today that Taiwanese-American former NBA star Jeremy Lin has joined the team. Lin, who is currently in the United States, posted a photoshopped image of himself wearing the number 7 jersey on social media with the caption "I'm here, Kaohsiung." Rumors of Lin joining the Taiwanese professional basketball league had been circulating since the end of last year, but the team had not confirmed until now. The announcement by P. LEAGUE+ Kaohsiung Steel on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year came as a shock to the Taiwanese basketball scene.
The 2022-23 season of the Taiwanese professional basketball league has been full of surprises. The Taoyuan Yongfeng Clouded Leopards, a team from the neighboring T1 League, first signed former NBA All-Star Dwight Howard. Now, PLG has recruited the highly popular Lin, creating a situation where two big stars will face off in Taiwan. Rumors of Lin returning to play in Taiwan had been brewing since last year, but at the time, he was still playing for the Guangzhou Loong Lions in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). It wasn't until the end of last year that he announced his decision to leave the CBA and return to Taiwan.
Since Lin's younger brother, Lin Shu-wei, currently plays for the New Taipei Kings, a team ranked at the top of the PLG, Jeremy had expressed his desire to have the opportunity to play alongside his brother during his professional career. Although they won't be playing on the same team, the brothers will soon have the chance to compete against each other in the same league, taking a big step towards their "reunion."
In addition to posting a photo of himself wearing the Steel's jersey on social media, Lin wrote, "Kaohsiung, I'm here." Many fans have left supportive comments, with one fan writing, "Welcome to Kaohsiung, the people of Kaohsiung will support you to the end." Another fan wrote, "Taiwan welcomes you back to play basketball," showing their excitement and support for Lin's return.
P. LEAGUE+ Kaohsiung Steel officially announced the signing of Taiwanese basketball star Jeremy Lin. Recognizing the long-standing imbalance in Taiwanese basketball between the north and south, Lin supports the Steel's "Great Southern Plan" and hopes to contribute to the team's efforts.
Lin, who previously sparked "Linsanity" in the NBA, has played in top professional leagues such as the NBA and CBA for many years. He ended his contract with the CBA's Beijing Ducks and decided to return to his homeland of Taiwan after the Lunar New Year holiday. Lin's NBA journey was not without challenges. Although he signed contracts with the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets, he didn't receive much playing time. He had to go back and forth between the NBA and development leagues. It wasn't until 2012, when he joined the New York Knicks, that he seized the opportunity to score 25 points off the bench, along with 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals, leading the team to a victory and capturing the attention of fans. In subsequent games, Lin continued to deliver impressive performances, achieving double-double stats against star guards like John Wall and scoring a career-high 38 points against the late Kobe Bryant. The "Linsanity" phenomenon became a hot topic in the global basketball community, and Lin even graced the cover of TIME magazine and was selected as one of TIME 100's most influential people in 2012.
After nearly 10 years of playing in the NBA, Lin won an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019 before joining the CBA's Beijing Ducks, where he averaged 22.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. Wherever Lin went, the arenas were filled to capacity, and he became the crowd favorite. He terminated his contract with the Beijing Ducks at the end of last year and joined the Kaohsiung Steel after the Lunar New Year holiday. The Kaohsiung Steel team stated in a press release that the "Linsanity" phenomenon was not a coincidence. In addition to Lin's high self-discipline and refusal to give up, he was always ready to seize opportunities. When the New York Knicks were in a losing streak, Lin took advantage of the opportunity and led the team to overcome adversity, achieving a winning streak and making it to the playoffs, proving his worth. The Steel team's current situation is similar, and Lin's arrival is expected to fill the team's lack of experience in the backcourt. His addition will not only bring substantial strength to the Steel but also provide more opportunities for the team's promising young guards Chen Yu-wei and Wang Lu-xiang to grow.
As the only team in southern Taiwan in P. LEAGUE+, the Kaohsiung Steel joined the league last year and has been actively promoting the "Great Southern Plan" to gradually address the resource imbalance in Taiwanese basketball between the north and south. The aim is to enable more young players in the south to stay and play in their hometowns. With Lin's joining and support, the Steel's "Great Southern Plan" will take a big step forward.
A devout Christian, Jeremy Lin has had a longstanding connection with the Fengshan Gymnasium, the home arena of the Kaohsiung Steel. In 2016, he shared his life experiences and testimony under the theme "Unceasing Breakthrough" with nearly 5,000 churchgoers and fans, sharing the strength his faith has given him. After becoming an NBA player, he faced many challenges and discrimination, but he adjusted his pace, bravely embraced challenges, and overcame them.
According to the team's general manager, Gao Jing-yan, Lin's decision to join the team was driven by his sense of responsibility and mission, both for himself and for the overall development of basketball. He was well aware that basketball development in Taiwan has been concentrated in the north, with the south relatively less vibrant. He hopes that his joining the team can change the viewing culture of basketball fans in southern Taiwan and bring more resources and change to the southern market.
Jeremy Lin's basketball career has always been about defying the impossible. When he went undrafted and faced skepticism as a Chinese-American, he still successfully entered the NBA and made a name for himself. Now, as he chooses to join the Kaohsiung Steel, fans are eagerly anticipating whether he can replicate the success of "Linsanity" in the NBA and transform himself into the team's savior.