Ex-Warrior, ‘Linsanity’ Inspiration Facing Career Decision After Scary Head Injury

Getty Former Golden State Warriors guard Jeremy Lin speaks during a 2019 press conference in China.

It has been a few years since Bay Area hero Jeremy Lin’s impressive run with the Golden State Warriors‘ G League affiliate failed to yield another NBA opportunity. And the ensuing years have done little to ease his hardwood journey.

After the league’s decison-makers opted not to keep him in the stateside mix, a nasty bout with COVID-19 subsequently derailed a move back to the Chinese Basketball Association. He later ran afoul of the CBA’s executive wing by being publicly critical of his team’s quarantine conditions and, specifically, players’ ability to train properly at a club hotel.

Flash forward to now and the baller who inspired Linsanity as a member of the New York Knicks during the 2011-12 campaign is seemingly contemplating retirement after having taken a nasty blow to the head during a game in Taiwan.

And this is all happening just as the 34-year-old finally appeared to be getting back to his feet as a professional bucket-getter.

Ex-Warriors Jeremy Lin’s P. League+ Season Ends With a Head Injury & His Team’s Elimination From the Postseason Mix

After his latest CBA run came to abrupt end earlier this season, Lin signed on the dotted line with the Kaohsiung Steelers for the remainder of the 2022-23 campaign. And, like clockwork, he brought Linsanity 2.0 to Taiwan’s P. League+.

The Steelers, who had been languishing at the bottom of the PLG standings before Lin’s arrival, started to pick things up and, on the eve of their season finale against the Taishin Dreamers on May 14, had won 10 of 11 games to get themselves back into the playoff hunt. Along the way, the team’s live game viewership on YouTube doubled.

With a playoff berth on the line against the Dreamers, though, Lin ultimately caught a nasty elbow to the face from Taishin big man Chris McCullough; one that sent him falling limp to the hardwood (where he promptly smacked the other side of his head in a disturbing manner).

Lin spent most of the remainder of the contest being tested at a local hospital. And while he eventually returned to watch the rest of the contest from the sidelines, Kaohsiung was unable to prevail in his absence. And his comments in the wake of the Steelers’ season-ending loss left many to wonder whether we’ll ever see him plying his trade on the court again.

“I can’t promise that I will continue to play ball next year,” Lin told reporters in the wake of the loss, via Focus Taiwan. “[My future] is something that is decided year by year.”

Lin Rediscovered His Swagger in Taiwan

The baller’s mystique notwithstanding, Kaohsiung’s late-season success and revived fan interest were both largely driven by Lin’s on-court exploits. In his 18 games with the club, he averaged 26.0 points, 9.0 assists, 8.6 rebounds and 1.7 steals per contest while shooting 45.1% from the floor.

Along the way, he set new, single-game records in the PLG for points (50) and assists (16).

Despite those efforts, Lin clearly has some soul-searching to do with regard to where his career will go from here. That said, he doesn’t seem to be worried about his long-term health following the head injury.

“LOVE to the best teammates, coaches, staff, and fans. Ty for everyone’s wishes, I’ll be back healthy soon,” Lin tweeted after the Steelers’ last game. “We fought til the end, we hold our heads high, we absolutely did not fail! I’ll never forget this season.”