NBA security still ask Jeremy Lin to show his ID

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Jeremy Lin of the Charlotte Hornets recently told ESPN that security personnel in different arenas still ask for his ID, unaware that he’s an NBA player.

“It’s one of those things where it literally happens everywhere,” Lin, 27, said.

“At opposing arenas, it happens all the time. Just the other night in Brooklyn, I was trying to leave [Barclays Center] and one of the ladies was like, ‘Hey, I need your credentials for you to pass.’

“And then someone else was like, ‘Oh, he’s a player. He’s good.’ I’m used to it by now. It’s just part of being Asian in the NBA.”

Now an NBA veteran, Lin is the first American of Chinese or Taiwanese descent to play in the league. He rose to popularity during a short but successful run with the New York Knicks in the 2011-2012 season, prompting a worldwide phenomenon dubbed “Linsanity.”

That season was the best of Lin’s career, when he finished with averages of 14.6 points and 6.2 assists a game.

He’s played for 5 teams since entering the NBA: Golden State, New York, Houston, Los Angeles (Lakers), and Charlotte.

Since signing with Charlotte in the offseason, Lin has had an impressive run with the Hornets by playing the 6th Man role and averaging 11.7 points plus 2.9 assists a game. 

The Hornets are currently 42-31 and are in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race. – Rappler.com

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story said that Jeremy Lin is the first player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent to play in the league. The story has been corrected to say that Lin is the first American of Chinese or Taiwanese descent to play in the NBA.