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Harvard Grad Gets a Shot in NBA

Jeremy Lin says he's not interested in labels

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 28, 2010 2:57 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Jeremy Lin has landed his dream job, but it wasn’t easy. “Trying to make the NBA is one of the very few areas where a Harvard degree won’t necessarily help,” he tells the Washington Post. The 6-foot-3 guard signed with his hometown Golden State Warriors as an undrafted free agent last week, making him the first Harvard grad to make the NBA since the 1953-'54 season, and the first Asian American since 1947.

In summer league, “that was my name, they just called me ‘Harvard,’” he says. “Anytime I messed up it was, ‘Aw, I thought you went to Harvard.” The Warriors see his background as a marketing plus, and are already planning a campaign around him. But Lin says he’s not interested in the labels. “Me being a basketball player, me being Christian, is more important to me than just being simply Asian American,” he says.

Harvard's Jeremy Lin (4) drives by Boston College's Biko Paris, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Boston, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009.
Harvard's Jeremy Lin (4) drives by Boston College's Biko Paris, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Boston, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009.   (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Dallas Mavericks' Jeremy Lin tries to shoot over Milwaukee Bucks' Dominic James during an NBA summer league game in Las Vegas, July 12, 2010.
Dallas Mavericks' Jeremy Lin tries to shoot over Milwaukee Bucks' Dominic James during an NBA summer league game in Las Vegas, July 12, 2010.   (AP Photo/Laura Rauch)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 5 comments
Montelukast
Jul 30, 2010 12:48 AM CDT
woohoo you go Mr. Ivy League!
flin1
Jul 28, 2010 11:33 PM CDT
Like I said on a related post, it's all about selling tickets in the NBA.
JesusLovesSomeOfYou
Jul 28, 2010 4:00 PM CDT
I thought you had to be smart to go to Harvard.
Sports • US

 
NBA • basketball • Ivy League • Harvard • Jeremy Lin

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