BONUS: Jeremy Lin on GOOD TV

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On July 28, 2019, GOOD TV released a speech from Jeremy Lin, and the media went viral on how Jeremy Lin hit rock bottom in his career because he feels like the NBA has given up on him. It was newsworthy because Jeremy Lin was on the Toronto Raptors, the same team who won this year’s NBA championship. And this was a historic win for Jeremy when he became the first Asian American to receive an NBA ring.  

But the challenge was, Jeremy hardly played during the Finals. Also, his contract with the Raptors was ending after the season, and he was soon entering into free agency, which means he would need to secure a new contract with another team.

Unfortunately, his prospects did not look promising. Since Linsanity, a record-setting streak of high-scoring games when Jeremy played for the New York Knicks during the 2011-2012 NBA season, Jeremy had sustained serious injuries. He would go on to play in six other teams until he joined the Raptors in 2019. And after a mediocre performance with Toronto Raptors, it didn’t seem like any teams were planning to sign him for the next season.

So when Jeremy flew to Asia during his annual off-season tour, Jeremy was very disappointed. He opened up to his fans about hitting a career low on GOOD TV.  GOOD TV is the first Christian TV station in Taiwan, and every year since 2011, Jeremy has openly shared about his faith on this channel. But it was especially difficult for him to share this year, but at the same time, he decided to make it a meaningful message. 

During his speech, Jeremy Lin broke down in front of a large auditorium of Taiwanese fans. He was not just crying because he was disappointed in having a crushed dream to not ‘be the best basketball player he knew he could be,’ but he was fighting to trust God through it all. That’s when he said:

“I’ve given more of myself to God every single year. And every year, it gets harder.

And in English there’s a saying and it says, once you hit rock bottom, the only way is up. But rock bottom, just seems to keep getting more and more rock bottom for me.

And so free agency has been tough, because I feel like in some ways, the NBA has kind of given up on me.”

 

Many people share about their failures after they’ve seen their successes. But not Jeremy Lin. His speech was powerful because of his openness and humility to trust God – even in the midst of uncertainty. He also goes beyond his personal career disappointment to share the hope and faith he has to others who are also going through a tough season. Jeremy shares about the prayer he said before his speech.

“I told God, I said, ‘Man, if you want me to get up here, and cry in front everybody I will,’ because if the most powerful thing I can do is not to be a great player on the court, but to get up here, and share every last one of my failures with you. And if that’s what it means to not give up, then I’ll do it. And I just want to encourage you guys, don’t disqualify yourself from what God wants to do in your life by giving up.”

 

Jeremy’s trust in God is contagious. He later goes on to give a response time, which can be viewed on GOOD TV.

A lot of what Jeremy had to say really hits home and speaks to what we’re trying to do at Faith Collides. Because like Jeremy, we can often feel alone or confusion on ‘what’s next’ for our careers, even asking God where he is in the midst of it. It’s a good reminder that God is still there to sustain you. He’s still there to use you to bless others – even if rock bottom seems to get more and more rock bottom. Don’t lose hope. Like Jeremy Lin – make your hope and faith rooted in something real, something beyond your circumstance.

 

Note: On August 27, 2019, Jeremy announced on Instagram that he will be joining the Beijing Ducks. So, he will be leaving the NBA to play in the CBA next season. We will be rooting for him to be the best player he can be, and we are excited to see how he continues to pursue God with his career in China.

 

 

Listen to Faith Collides episode break on Jeremy Lin on GOOD TV:

 

Watch the full speech on GOOD TV: