Jeremy Lin Recalls 2011 NBA Lockout As CBA Suspension Continues Due To Coronavirus Scare

The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) season was on hold due to the outbreak of COVID-19 – popularly known as the Coronavirus and taking a break at the second half of the season could take a toll on some of the players, which also features some former NBA players.

To keep himself in shape, Jeremy Lin shared in social media the routine that he’s been doing while the league is still taking precautionary measures against the virus that infected around 80,000 people in the world.

“As I'm in limbo waiting to see what happens with the coronavirus containment and CBA season, I've been camped out in the gym. The uncertainty is different but the time is still valuable,” said the Beijing Ducks star guard on taking advantage of the break. “Being fully healthy during this hibernation time has allowed me to rebuild and refocus my game and my mind.”

Lin won his first NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors last season and was left unsigned by all NBA teams. Instead of campaigning for himself, he signed a contract with the Beijing Ducks but is considered as a foreign player despite his Chinese roots – and all teams are limited to only two foreign players per game. With Beijing, he’s sharing his foreign player tag with fellow former NBA players Justin Hamilton and Europeague champion Ekpe Udoh.

While working out to keep himself in shape, he also shared that the layoff reminded him of the 2011 NBA lockout where his career took a hit despite working hard to prepare himself for the upcoming season. He was waived by the Golden State Warriors in the pre-season to free cap space to sign DeAndre Jordan, picked up by the Houston Rockets but cut him 12 days again on Christmas Day.

After being cut twice, he went to the New York Knicks and that started the “Linsanity” that was heard all around the world.

Per Sportando, the CBA season will resume on April 1 after suspending their ongoing season due to the virus outbreak. The league also announced it on their official website and offered a refund to the fans who bought tickets on the affected playing dates. He’s averaging 24.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.8 steals in 31 games with China’s capital city.