Jeremy Lin is one of the media-friendly players in the NBA, but even Lin had to hesitate when the morning team at one of the most powerful sports talk radio stations in the country asked him a pointed question about racism
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According to the Daily News, this is how it went down.
Craig Carton of the Boomer & Carton Show on New York City’s WFAN asked Lin “There’s the thought and I believe this, so I’ll say it’s my thought, maybe no one else’s, that there’s a racial component that because you’re a Chinese American player, that certain African American players in your locker room, J.R. being one of them, did not want to accept you as a ballplayer,” Carton said, “and when you were offered money to play and this big contract comes your way, there’s resentment because of where you’re from and who you are. Did you ever feel that?”
Lin paused, hesitated for a moment and said “I’ve never spoken to J.R. about it. I’ve never spoken to whoever else you might think about it. So, it’s hard for me because I don’t want come out and speculate,” Lin said. “The one thing I will say is that race has been a huge part of my journey ever since I was a child trying to play basketball. It’s a double-edged sword. It comes with the good; it comes with the bad.”
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Word of this quickly spread to Smith, who’s now playing in Cleveland.
He immediately tweeted a series of denials.
I never want to entertain this topic but whoever said i am or was racist to @JLin7 because he was Asian is wrong on so many levels!
— JR Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) October 19, 2016
I went to the #ESPYS to support him when all of Lin-sanity was going on stood up for him when other players knocked him down
— JR Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) October 19, 2016
Don’t ever in your life try an play me as racist. For someone who grew up where I did I know a little thing about it an it’s never ok!
— JR Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) October 19, 2016
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