Basketball

Basketball star Jeremy Lin donates money to fight coronavirus outbreak, cites Scripture

By Jon Ackerman Mar 12, 2020
Jeremy Lin (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Former NBA veteran Jeremy Lin, who is currently playing in the Chinese Basketball Association with the Beijing Ducks, is doing his part to fight the coronavirus outbreak. He announced Wednesday that he and his basketball foundation in China have donated 1 million Chinese yuan “to get medical equipment to Wuhan,” the Chinese city at the center of the outbreak. Lin also said he will be “donating an additional $150,000 towards fighting this virus.”

View this post on Instagram

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been monitoring coronavirus and the darkness it’s casted over the world. News headlines of racism, xenophobia, attacks on Asians and decaying trust towards people. All heartbreaking and the opposite of God's kingdom. But for every fear-inducing headline, I see hope. I see doctors and nurses fighting the front lines in China, Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy and more. I see people helping people in countries regardless of race or background. Talk less out of hate, more out of empathy. Lets talk about the man who made 16,000 meals for frontline workers. Lets appreciate the doctor who postponed his wedding and then tragically lost his life fighting the virus. He's a hero.Lets be inspired and demand justice for Meera Solanki who defended her Asian friend against an aggressive man in Birmingham only to be knocked unconscious. Lets follow suit and take action like Inner Mongolia who sent 2500 tons of potatoes to Wuhan. There are many examples of racism but also countless examples of hope – May Lee and her podcast, the Guardian Angels group, companies donating masks, all the bold frontline workers and more. Dont criticize unless youre willing to be a part of the solution. With my bball foundation in China, we’ve donated 1 million RMB to get medical equipment to Wuhan. I’ll also be donating an additional $150,000 towards fighting this virus. Let's all do our part to quarantine, wash our hands vigorously, wear a protective mask to avoid germs spreading and do our part to share facts and preventative measures. Stay together, fight on! Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good — Romans 12:9

A post shared by Jeremy Lin 林書豪 (@jlin7) on

“Over the past few weeks, I’ve been monitoring coronavirus and the darkness it’s casted over the world,” Lin wrote on Instagram. “News headlines of racism, xenophobia, attacks on Asians and decaying trust towards people. All heartbreaking and the opposite of God’s kingdom. But for every fear-inducing headline, I see hope. I see doctors and nurses fighting the front lines in China, Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy and more. I see people helping people in countries regardless of race or background.”

Lin went on to encourage people to “talk less out of hate, more out of empathy,” to recognize the heroes he’s seen in fighting against this virus, and to urge everyone to do their part in avoiding the spread of germs.

He then closed his post by citing Romans 12:9: “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”

Lin is unsure when he’ll get to play basketball again, as the CBA suspended its play indefinitely in February. But the CBA reportedly sent a memo saying it expects to resume play in April.

In the United States, the NBA on Wednesday suspended its season “until further notice” after Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz tested positive for the coronavirus. It was announced on Thursday that Jazz teammate Donovan Mitchel had also tested positive for the virus.

Numerous other leagues and tournaments have been canceled or postponed in the U.S. and around the world in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus, which has now been declared a global pandemic.

RELATED STORIES:
— Jeremy Lin signs deal to continue basketball career with CBA’s Beijing Ducks
— Toronto Raptors’ Jeremy Lin after NBA Finals: God is ‘just as good at the mountaintop’
— Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac is now an ordained minister

Tags: