FILIPINO basketball fans get to watch up close and personal the man behind the ‘Linsanity’ fever a few years ago.
The New Taipei Kings featuring former NBA player Jeremy Lin, take their act on Philippine shores for the very first time when they battle the Meralco Bolts in the EASL Home and Away Season on Jan. 3 at the Philsports Arena.
It will be the first time Lin will be playing in the country following his celebrated NBA career that gave birth to the cultural phenomenon ‘Linsanity’ during his stay with the New York Knicks.
Following a decade of playing in the NBA that included winning a championship with the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 season, Lin, now 35, decided to return to his roots and played in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), and now with the Kings in the P.League+ in Taipei.
Lin and the Kings are expected to give the Bolts a run for their money in their bid to keep the top spot in Group B where they carry an unbeaten 2-0 record.
With the Kings, Lin has his brother Joseph for his teammate along with Asia import Hayden Blankley, a familiar face among Filipino fans after playing for the Bay Area Dragons in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, and imports Kenny Manigault and Tony Mitchell, who once suited up for NLEX and Magnolia.
The Kings will be arriving in the country on Jan. 2
Meralco will be hard-pressed to win over the visiting team as it is coming off a heartbreaking 81-80 loss to the Seoul SK Knights last Dec. 27 also at the Philsports Arena.
The loss dropped the Bolts to a 1-3 record at the bottom of Group B and now need to win all of their remaining games to stay in contention for a semifinals berth.