NBA Champion Jeremy Lin Announces Retirement From Basketball: Know What’s Next for the Linsanity Star?

Jeremy Lin stepped into Madison Square Garden on Feb. 10, 2012, with the entire world’s gaze fixed on No. 24 in purple and gold. But by the final buzzer, it was Lin who owned the night, raining pull-up jumpers, slicing through defenders, and torching the Lakers with a career-high 38 points in a 92-85 Knicks win, even leaving Kobe Bryant visibly frustrated. That night gave birth to the global phenomenon known as “Linsanity.” And now, more than a decade later, the man who once lit up the Garden has officially hung up his sneakers, calling time on his professional basketball journey.

Jeremy Lin announced his decision to step away from the sport in a bilingual Instagram post on Saturday, “As athletes, we are always aware that the possibility of retirement is never far away. I’ve spent my 15 year career knowing that one day I would have to walk away, and yet actually saying goodbye to basketball today has been the hardest decision I’ve ever made,” he wrote. Lin began his NBA journey in 2010 with the Golden State Warriors, appearing in 29 games during his rookie season and averaging just 9.8 minutes per outing. From there, he went on to play for the Knicks, Rockets, Lakers, Nets, and Raptors, carving out a career that saw him average 11.6 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.8 rebounds across 480 regular-season games.

Reflecting on his journey, Lin called it “the honor of a lifetime” to compete “against the fiercest competitors under the brightest lights and to challenge what the world thought was possible for someone who looks like me.” As the first American of Chinese or Taiwanese descent to ever play in the NBA and the first Asian American player to win an NBA championship (with the Toronto Raptors in 2019), Lin broke barriers and inspired millions. Signing off, the 37-year-old thanked fans directly: “Thank you all for believing in me, for walking with me, for celebrating my highs and picking me up in my lows.”

Jeremy Lin’s journey has been a rollercoaster of breakthrough moments and crushing setbacks. Months before Linsanity took over Madison Square Garden, Lin was jobless on Christmas Eve 2011, staring at what felt like the end of his NBA dream. After an impressive training camp with the Houston Rockets, he waited for good news, only to get the call that he’d been waived. “It’s Christmas — I just got cut and I think my NBA career is over,” Lin recalled.

Two months later, everything changed. February 2012 catapulted him into global stardom when his unforgettable breakout against the Lakers turned him into an overnight sensation. But while Linsanity reshaped his life, the fairytale came with its own challenges. A torn meniscus later that season forced him to miss the Knicks’ playoffs, and in the years that followed, Lin bounced between teams, trying to recreate that magic. The spark that once shocked the world never burn quite the same again, but Lin kept fighting.

After nine NBA seasons, Lin turned the page and took his talents overseas. He joined the Chinese Basketball Association before briefly returning to the U.S. to play in the G League with the Santa Cruz Warriors during the 2020-21 season. In 2021, he headed back to the CBA, and by 2023, he found a fresh start in Taiwan with the New Taipei Kings.

That move reignited his career. Lin led the Kings to back-to-back championships in 2024 and 2025, winning titles in both the P.LEAGUE+ and the Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL). His impact went beyond team success—in June 2024, he was named the TPBL regular-season MVP and later earned Finals MVP honors, averaging 22.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1.9 steals. From nearly losing his NBA career to dominating overseas, Lin proved his ability to adapt, rebuild, and extend his legacy far beyond Linsanity.

And now, Jeremy Lin steps away from the game on his own terms; exactly how he wanted.

“Yeah, I think there’s two ways to retire. One is you’re kind of forced into it; nobody wants you, no team wants you, or your body can’t keep you up anymore; and you kind of have to retire,” Lin explained. “Or there’s going out on your terms, retiring on your own terms, and you have peace with what you’ve done with the game… I want to go out on my own terms.” His career is no longer defined by one magical month in New York but by everything that came after—the battles, the barriers, and the millions he inspired. Linsanity was the spark. The legacy he leaves behind is the fire.

What is next for Jeremy Lin?

Back in February 2025, Jeremy Lin quietly took a big step toward what looks like the next chapter of his basketball journey. Coaching. The NBA announced that Lin, alongside Golden State Warriors legends Tim Hardaway Sr., Chris Mullin, and Mitch Richmond, would serve as honorary head coaches for the Castrol Rising Stars at the NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco. The event, set for February 14 at Chase Center, featured a mini-tournament with four teams and 28 of the league’s top young talents. Lin led Team G League, taking on squads stacked with NBA rookies and sophomores. Sharing his excitement, Lin posted on Instagram, “See you soon in the Bay,” acknowledging his return to the arena where his NBA career first began back in the 2010-11 season with the Warriors.

Lin’s transition into a coaching role didn’t come out of nowhere. Last year, he launched the JLIN NextGen Basketball Camp, a three-day, invite-only program for elite AAPI collegiate players, aiming to inspire and mentor the next generation. Reflecting on his motivation, Lin said,

“For me, it was two motivations. One was just to be able to kind of share what I’ve picked up through the course of my career, a lot of lessons I’ve learned the hard way. Things I wish I knew when I was their age.”

For Lin, it’s not just about teaching basketball; it’s about creating a sense of belonging. “Can we create community around this? It comes back from maybe me feeling the lack of that, of feeling the weight of being a trailblazer, or the weight of being ‘the first’ or ‘the only.’” That perspective now fuels his passion for mentoring young players, blending his experience on the court with his desire to shape opportunities off it.

While Lin still suits up professionally for the New Taipei Kings in the Taiwan Professional Basketball League, he’s making space for what’s next. After nine NBA seasons, a championship with the Raptors in 2019, and success overseas, his focus is shifting toward guiding others. Speaking about his role at the camp, Lin admitted, “This is my first time being like a full-time trainer, per se. But now to be fully focused on the athletes and to not get any work for myself, I guess it’s a transition to maybe the next chapter of my life.” And suppose February’s Rising Stars coaching debut is any indication. In that case, Lin’s path forward is becoming clearer, from being the face of Linsanity to shaping the future of the game from the sidelines.