Jeremy Lin ‘Grateful’ In Beijing Duck’s First CBA Game Back Since COVID-19 Struck

The threat of the coronavirus has sidelined almost all major sporting events in the world for months. With countries slowly getting back on track, leagues such as the Chinese Basketball Association have already made their return on the court.

For former NBA sensation Jeremy Lin, his team the Beijing Ducks was triumphant 91-82 in their return game against the Liaoning Flying Leopards. This marks a milestone for the league as the weekend saw how they’re able to bounce back amidst the ever-evolving situation. While there have been limitations to the return game, it was a big step in heading back to any normalcy in the sporting world.

Proper safety and precautionary measures were followed as the games were held behind closed doors. Only limited personnel were allowed in the vicinity of the game. Per SCMP, Lin was thankful for the entire situation, as he was able to display his basketball skills once again.

“The most important thing is we can play again,” Lin shared.

“I'm grateful for CBA's efforts to give us a chance to play again,” Lin continued.

The return of the CBA basketball games can prove to be a good example for other sports to consider when making their efforts of resuming their tournaments.

“The CBA League's restart means a lot to the revival of global sports, hopefully, it can give confidence to other basketball leagues and players,” Lin added.

During the first game back, Lin filled up the stat sheet much like how he used to do in his prime in the NBA. The point guard tallied 13 points but also picked up seven rebounds and dished out six assists. The all-around game of Lin was evident, as he’d find his open teammates while making uncontested open threes for the Ducks.

This was an important game for Lin and the Ducks given the influence that he brings to the community. In a recent Instagram post by Lin, he shared that there are so many things going on in the world.

“I'm still learning, listening and thinking about how I can be a better ally. In the meantime hope our games can bring some light to the world,” he wrote.

With Lin’s steady contributions to the team, the basketball sensation is looking to make the most out of the games and the sport.