By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Jeremy Lin talked with Emmet Ryan of BallinEurope about Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and more, at the Collision conference, organized by Web Summit, which is being held virtually and staged out of Toronto, Canada.
“What he’s doing is ridiculous. The end of the season will be interesting. He’s definitely a front runner right now and Denver is playing really well,” he told BallinEurope regarding Jokic’s position in the race for the NBA season’s MVP award, “The only other person I’d put into consideration is Steph Curry, what he’s doing is historic. There are good candidates on the Sixers and the Jazz but, to me, it’s still Jokic.”
Luka Doncic
“I’m not sure if people expected him to do what he has done in his first three years and how fast he has done it. He has been really beyond expectations, past the hype he had coming in. We know now he’s going to be one of the top scorers in the league, a triple double threat every time,” he mentioned on Doncic, “He has shown a lot but that next stage for him is can he win and win on the highest level? Can he bring his team to do things that other superstars continue to do. He’s only in his third year, he has plenty of time, but he’s ahead of what anybody could have asked.”
China
“It was so interesting. It’s the closest to what Linsanity felt like in New York with the hype and buzz. Even with away games, I’d stay in a hotel and fans somehow figured out what room I was in. There were situations where I’d need security because I couldn’t walk through the hotel lobby without getting mobbed,” he said recalling his experience in China’s CBA, “It was so fun to experience the fans, the hype, the excitement.”
“It showed me just how different the territories are and how different the needs are. If you really want to do philanthropic work, you really have to lean into the experts on the ground who have been in that space,” he added, “You have to find out how you can assist and bring your unique skill set. For me it might be basketball, or my network, or my approach to training. It opened my mind to what philanthropy looks like in different territories.”
Europe
“I’ve definitely considered it but a big part of my story is growing up in America with parents and grandparents who were raised in Asia. A strong part of my heart is going back and playing in Asia,” he replied on potentially moving his talents to Europe, “I’ve always respected the game in Europe, I’ve always wanted to experience Europe and I’ve never had a chance to do that except for a one and half week vacation that I took. To live there would have been amazing and there are certain cities I want to go to.”
Linsanity
“When I think back on the Linsanity time, what made it special…the reality is there are so many things we can control. The Linsanity status isn’t the end all. It’s more about whether you are putting yourself in a position to give yourself a chance to succeed and breakthrough,” he replied to a question on how an entrepreneur could achieve Linsanity, “It comes with consistent work, understanding what you are good at, and honing that craft. It starts with what you are doing behind the scenes when nobody’s looking. Are you continually investing and pouring into the same thing, knowing that a breakthrough might not come but you are prepared for it? When those doors open, you can walk through with full confidence trusting the preparation and work you put in.”
Championship run at Toronto
“History is meant to be made. If you put your best foot forward, you never know. Nobody really saw it coming, in terms of Toronto winning it all. Even at that moment, I didn’t know that I would be the first Asian American to win a championship. I was just immersed in the journey,” he said on winning the NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019, “When it happened, I thought it was really cool. Hopefully the message it sent [to young Asian Americans] is just go for it. When I was growing up, to say that I was going to play basketball in college was outlandish. For my immigrant parents to raise two children who played professional basketball is unheard. You never know where it will take you if you just chase your dreams.”
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