Jeremy Lin (林書豪) yesterday told Taipei fans that his goal this season is to help the Brooklyn Nets make it to the playoffs, adding that his ultimate goal is to win the NBA championship.
The 28-year-old point guard, the first NBA player of Taiwanese descent, returned to Taiwan yesterday morning after a lackluster season, in which he played only 36 games due to recurring injuries.
He was greeted by dozens of fans at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport.
Photo: Chuo Chia-ping, Taipei Times
Lin later told a news conference that he and his younger brother has been training with a coach since May 15, focusing on protecting his body and improving his three-point shooting percentage.
“My percentage is now about 37 percent, which is quite high. I hope I can throw more three-pointers this season. Now I throw three-pointers whenever it is wide open, but good point guards like Damian Lillard [of the Portland Trail Blazers] and Stephen Curry [of the Golden State Warriors] can throw from the three-point line even with a small opening, whether they are playing pick-and-roll or one-on-one,” he said.
Lin said he shoots 500 to 1,000 three-pointers on a regular training day.
He said his team stands a good chance of competing in the playoff season next year, as long as he and his teammates stay healthy, adding that another goal for next season is to play in the All-Star game.
Lin said he would have to change the way he plays the game now that his former teammate Brook Lopez has been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
“Brook and I coordinated well, but now he is with the Lakers. Since the team does not have a back-to-basket player anymore, we are going to have to play fast and a lot of pick-and-rolls. My coach and I have been discussing how we are going to play this upcoming season. I hope I can play as No. 2 point guard, passing the ball and scoring from the baseline,” he said.
Lin said he also plays well with his new teammate, former Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell.
He said he would not play for the Golden State Warriors just to win the NBA championship, even if he has only three or four prime years ahead of him, adding that he wants to follow his own path and help turn the Brooklyn Nets into a better team.
Asked if his plans included a family, Lin said he wants to have three children, as his parents do.
“It does not always happen at the time we want and we just have to wait,” he said.
Lin last night shot hoops with Taiwanese pop star Jam Hsiao (蕭敬騰) in a basketball court near Taipei 101 in the Xinyi District (信義).
He is to coach young basketball players in Taichung this week and talk about his experiences as a Christian before leaving for China on Monday next week.
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