TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Jeremy Lin (林書豪), the former NBA standout who broke barriers as the first American player of Taiwanese descent to reach basketball's highest level, celebrated a milestone for Asian representation in professional sports on Wednesday (April 16). Lin praised the historic selection of Kaitlyn Chen (陳凱玲), the first Taiwanese-American player drafted into the WNBA, calling it crucial for inspiring young athletes across Taiwan.
Chen, whose parents left Taiwan for America, was selected 30th overall in the third round of Tuesday's draft by the Golden State Valkyries following her championship run with the University of Connecticut. Lin disclosed that he had already reached out to exchange contact details with the rookie, underscoring how her groundbreaking achievement would resonate with aspiring young Taiwanese basketball players.
Lin pointed to the substantial Chinese community in the San Francisco Bay Area as a potential support system for Chen, mentioning that even the Valkyries' head coach shares Chinese heritage. Meanwhile, in Taiwan's domestic basketball landscape, Lin's own team, the New Taipei Kings (新北國王), remains atop the Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL, 台灣職業籃球大聯盟) standings despite suffering back-to-back defeats for the first time this season after Wednesday's 107-83 loss to the Taipei Taishin Mars (臺北台新戰神).
Kings head coach Ryan Marchan voiced clear frustration following the defeat, condemning what he called "excessive errors" as completely unacceptable for a championship contender. Lin, who serves as both player and team leader, acknowledged the validity of his coach's criticism and promised to elevate his leadership approach to help the squad regain its winning form. ★