Taiwanese media have in the past few days reported extensively on rumors that Jeremy Lin is set to join the Kaohsiung Steelers in the P.League+, although general manager Kenny Kao declined to comment on Friday, citing a busy schedule.
The speculation comes after the Steelers in July said that they were trying to sign Lin.
Even though it has been more than a decade since the “Linsanity” craze, Jeremy Lin has been the talk of Taiwan since he announced his departure from the Chinese Basketball Association on Thursday, with excitement building over the possibility that he could join a Taiwanese team.
Photo: AFP
Lin gained a huge following in Taiwan after he took the basketball scene by storm in 2012, and he would likely still be a big hit with any Taiwanese club, given how many people support him on his social media accounts.
P.League+ English broadcaster Ryan Chen on Friday said that it would be “kind of a big deal” if Lin joined a professional basketball team in Taiwan, where he is a household name.
He would also likely bring more attention to Taiwanese basketball, Chen said.
However, despite the fanfare, Lin would face pressure in Taiwan.
“Whatever team he joins or for how much money, there’s still going to be pressure like: ‘Oh why didn’t you score 20?’” Chen said.
As a dynamic scorer in his prime, Lin would have a chance to add excitement to P.League+ games, which tend to focus on defense, Chen said.
Bringing the excitement to games is also something that is seen as valuable in the T1 League.
“I hope he comes to us to be honest,” Taichung Suns head coach Chris Gavina said. “If we were able to bring a person of the stature of Jeremy Lin here, the excitement at our games would even triple compared to what it’s now.”
Gavina, the T1 League’s first Filipino head coach, said Lin is extremely popular in the Philippines and “Linsanity” was an achievement not just for himself, but for the global Asian community, as Asians could connect with an NBA player of their own heritage.
“His positive effect here in Taiwan would allow him to become a beacon of hope to the next generation of basketball players in Taiwan,” Gavina said.
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