Jeremy Lin: NBA Career, Championship & Where He Is Now
Few basketball stories capture the imagination quite like Jeremy Lin’s: from undrafted out of Harvard to sparking a global phenomenon with the New York Knicks, his path has been anything but ordinary. Today, he’s an NBA champion who continues to play professionally in Taiwan, but the road between those chapters reveals a career defined by resilience more than any single highlight.
NBA Points Per Game: 11.6 ·
NBA Assists Per Game: 4.3 ·
Total NBA Salary: $65 million ·
NBA Championship: 2019 (Toronto Raptors) ·
Height: 6’3″ ·
Birth Year: 1988
Quick snapshot
- Won NBA championship in 2019 with Toronto Raptors (South China Morning Post)
- Averaged 11.6 points and 4.3 assists per game over 480 NBA games (ESPN)
- Earned approximately $65 million in NBA salary (South China Morning Post)
- Went undrafted out of Harvard in 2010 (South China Morning Post)
- Whether Lin is married or has a partner — he keeps his personal life private (South China Morning Post)
- Whether he will ever return to the NBA (Wikipedia)
- Exact net worth varies by source, though estimates center around $35 million (South China Morning Post)
- 2012: Linsanity breakthrough with Knicks (South China Morning Post)
- 2019: Won NBA title with Raptors, then moved to CBA (South China Morning Post)
- 2024-25: Named TPBL MVP in Taiwan (Wikipedia)
- Continuing his career with New Taipei Kings in Taiwan’s TPBL (Wikipedia)
- No announced plans to return to the NBA (South China Morning Post)
For more on professional athlete career paths, see our profile of Bo Horvat. Also check our basketball-related guides and buying tips.
Eight key details, one pattern: Lin’s career arcs from overlooked prospect to cultural icon to steady veteran overseas.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Jeremy Shu-How Lin |
| Height | 6’3″ (1.91 m) |
| Weight | 200 lbs (91 kg) |
| Position | Point guard |
| College | Harvard |
| NBA Draft | Undrafted (2010) |
| NBA Teams | Knicks, Rockets, Lakers, Hornets, Nets, Hawks, Raptors |
| NBA Championship | 2019 (Toronto Raptors) |
The implication: Lin’s trajectory — from unknown to global name to international star — defies the standard NBA arc.
Why is Jeremy Lin no longer in the NBA?
What is Jeremy Lin doing now?
- After the 2018–19 season, Lin left the NBA to sign with the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) (South China Morning Post).
- He later returned to the G League with the Santa Cruz Warriors in 2021 (South China Morning Post).
- Since 2022, he has played in Taiwan — first for the Kaohsiung Steelers, then the New Taipei Kings (Wikipedia).
Lin has not signed an NBA contract since 2019. His decision to play overseas reflects both limited NBA offers and the opportunity to be a featured star in Asia.
When did Jeremy Lin retire from the NBA?
Lin never formally announced his retirement from the NBA. According to the South China Morning Post, after the 2019 championship season, he chose to accept a lucrative deal in China rather than wait for a minimum-salary NBA offer. He remains active professionally, but no team has signed him to an NBA roster since.
The catch: Lin’s choice was a pragmatic trade‑off between roster uncertainty and guaranteed stardom in Asia.
Lin swapped a marginal NBA role for a starring gig in Asia. For a player of his stature — first Asian-American NBA champion — the move made financial and cultural sense, but it closed the door on a return to the league that made him famous.
Did Jeremy Lin win an NBA championship?
Yes. Lin won the NBA championship in 2019 as a member of the Toronto Raptors. He is widely recognized as the first Asian-American to earn an NBA championship ring (South China Morning Post). During the playoffs, Lin appeared in 8 games, averaging 1.1 points in limited minutes. His role was modest, but the distinction remains a cornerstone of his legacy.
The implication: that one ring — the first by any Asian-American player — cements Lin’s place in basketball history well beyond his regular-season stats.
How much money did Jeremy Lin make in the NBA?
Lin earned approximately $65 million in total NBA salary over his nine seasons (South China Morning Post). His biggest payday came from the three-year, $25 million deal he signed with the Houston Rockets in 2012.
What is Jeremy Lin’s net worth?
Estimates for Lin’s net worth range from $30 million to $40 million, with most sources pegging it around $35 million, including endorsement income from brands like Nike and Volvo (South China Morning Post). The catch: exact figures are hard to verify because Lin’s overseas earnings in the CBA and Taiwan are not publicly reported to the same degree as NBA contracts.
Lin’s $65 million NBA haul is remarkable for an undrafted player. Yet his peak earning years came early; his current TPBL salary is a fraction of that, making his post-NBA investments crucial to his long-term wealth.
The pattern: Lin’s earnings peaked before age 30, after which his overseas deals were less lucrative but still provided a solid living.
Did Jeremy Lin date Kim Kardashian?
No. In a 2019 interview, Lin explicitly denied the rumor, saying, “I never dated her. That was just a rumor that got blown out of proportion” (South China Morning Post). The story originated from a 2012 tabloid report and was quickly dismissed by both parties. It persists online as a classic example of celebrity gossip attaching itself to a rising star.
The Kardashian rumor followed Lin during the height of Linsanity. For a private person like Lin, the unfounded story became a distraction, illustrating how quickly a fabricated narrative can stick to a player in the social-media era.
What this means: the rumor had no basis in fact but still required a public denial — a common burden for athletes under the spotlight.
What are Jeremy Lin’s NBA career stats?
- 11.6 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game across 480 regular-season games (ESPN).
- Played for 8 teams over 9 seasons (StatMuse).
- Scored a career-high 38 points against the Chicago Bulls in 2012 (ESPN).
How tall is Jeremy Lin?
Lin stands 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall (South China Morning Post).
Who is Jeremy Lin’s wife?
Jeremy Lin is not publicly known to be married. Per the South China Morning Post, he keeps his personal life extremely private; no confirmed reports of a wife or partner exist.
How old is Jeremy Lin?
Born on August 23, 1988, Lin is 36 years old as of 2025 (South China Morning Post).
The takeaway: those numbers, combined with his championship ring, set a benchmark that no other Asian-American NBA player has matched.
Timeline
- — Went undrafted; signed with Golden State Warriors (South China Morning Post).
- — Linsanity breakthrough with New York Knicks (South China Morning Post).
- — Signed with Houston Rockets; first major contract (South China Morning Post).
- — Won NBA championship with Toronto Raptors (South China Morning Post).
- — Signed with Beijing Ducks in China (CBA) (South China Morning Post).
- — Played for Santa Cruz Warriors in G League (South China Morning Post).
- — Played for Kaohsiung Steelers and New Taipei Kings in Taiwan (Wikipedia).
- — Named TPBL Most Valuable Player (Wikipedia).
The pattern: Lin’s career peaks come in cycles — every time he’s written off, he finds a new stage to prove his worth.
Clarity: Confirmed facts vs. Unclear
Confirmed facts
- Jeremy Lin won an NBA championship in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors. (South China Morning Post)
- He earned approximately $65 million in NBA salary. (South China Morning Post)
- He publicly denied dating Kim Kardashian. (South China Morning Post)
- He played for 8 NBA teams and is currently playing in Taiwan. (Wikipedia)
- He went undrafted out of Harvard. (South China Morning Post)
What’s unclear
- Whether Jeremy Lin is married or has a girlfriend (he keeps his personal life private). (South China Morning Post)
- Whether he will ever return to the NBA. (Wikipedia)
- Exact net worth figure varies by source. (South China Morning Post)
- Whether Lin has any plans to coach after playing. (Wikipedia)
- The full breakdown of his endorsement earnings. (South China Morning Post)
The trade-off: for every confirmed achievement — the ring, the earnings, the cultural impact — there’s a zone of privacy Lin guards fiercely. Fans will have to accept that some details are not meant to be public.
Quotes
“I never dated her. That was just a rumor that got blown out of proportion.”
Jeremy Lin, addressing the Kim Kardashian rumor in a 2019 interview (South China Morning Post)
“It was the most surreal time of my life. Everything changed overnight.”
Jeremy Lin, reflecting on Linsanity in a 2022 podcast (South China Morning Post)
For fans of basketball and underdog stories, Jeremy Lin’s legacy is secure: a player who turned a viral moment into a decade-long career and a championship ring. The next chapter will be written in Taiwan, but his place in NBA history — as the undrafted Harvard grad who sparked Linsanity — is already set.
Frequently asked questions
What university did Jeremy Lin attend?
Harvard University (South China Morning Post).
Did Jeremy Lin ever play in the NBA All-Star Game?
No, he was never selected to an NBA All-Star Game.
How many seasons did Jeremy Lin play in the NBA?
Nine seasons (StatMuse).
What is Jeremy Lin’s shoe size?
Size 12 (US).
Why is Jeremy Lin called Linsanity?
The term was coined during his breakout February 2012 run with the New York Knicks, when he led the team to seven straight wins and became a global phenomenon (South China Morning Post).
What is Jeremy Lin’s jersey number?
He wore No. 7 for most of his career, including his time with the Knicks, Rockets, and Raptors.
Did Jeremy Lin play for the Chinese national team?
No, he has never played for any national team.
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