What Is Jeremy Lin’s Ethnicity, Religion, and Nationality? Exploring Jeremy Lin Family Roots and Background

The “Linsanity” era has officially come to an end. Jeremy Lin announced his retirement from professional basketball on Saturday through an emotional Instagram post, writing, “…saying goodbye to basketball today has been the hardest decision I’ve ever made…” It’s the closing of a remarkable journey that began in 2010 with the Golden State Warriors, where Lin appeared in 29 games during his rookie season, averaging just 9.8 minutes per outing. After nine NBA seasons, Lin explored new chapters overseas, joining the Chinese Basketball Association, returning briefly to the G League, and later finding a fresh start in Taiwan with the New Taipei Kings by 2023.

As we now look back and cherish his legacy, let’s also take a closer look at his roots and background.

Where is Jeremy Lin from, and what is his nationality?

Jeremy Lin’s journey began on August 23, 1988, when he was born in Torrance, California, to Taiwanese parents, Gie-ming Lin and Shirley Lin (née Xinxin Wu). Growing up in Palo Alto, California, Jeremy holds American nationality but has always stayed closely connected to his Taiwanese roots. What makes his story even more special is that he became the NBA’s first American-born player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent, carving out a path in a league where very few thought he’d make it.

Jeremy’s love for basketball took shape at Palo Alto High School, where he captained the team during the 2005–06 season. Under coach Peter Diepenbrock, he led the Vikings to an incredible 32–1 record and a dramatic 51–47 upset over nationally ranked Mater Dei to claim the California Interscholastic Federation Division II state title. That year, Jeremy averaged 15.1 points, 7.1 assists, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.0 steals, earning first-team All-State and Northern California Division II Player of the Year honors. Yet, despite all these achievements, Division I programs overlooked him, leaving him without a single scholarship offer.

Harvard University, however, saw what others missed. Joining the Crimson in 2006, Jeremy steadily improved each season. As a freshman, he averaged 4.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1 steal per game. By his sophomore year, those numbers jumped to 12.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.9 steals, showing clear growth.

His junior season was his breakout year: 17.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.4 steals, while shooting an impressive 50.2% from the field and 40% from deep. In his senior year (2009–10), Lin became a Bob Cousy Award finalist, averaging 16.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.4 steals, with a career-highlight 30-point performance against Kemba Walker’s UConn.

By the end of his college career, Jeremy had helped Harvard to a 21–8 record, their best season since 1946, leaving behind a legacy of perseverance and hard work.

What is Jeremy Lin’s ethnicity?

Jeremy Lin is Taiwanese American by ethnicity, and his story really begins with his parents. Gie-ming Lin and Shirley Lin (née Xinxin Wu) emigrated from Taiwan to the United States in the mid-1970s, first living in Virginia before moving to Indiana, where they attended university to study engineering and computer science.

Lin’s paternal family are Hoklo people from Beidou, Changhua, Taiwan, while his maternal grandmother came to Taiwan from Pinghu, Zhejiang, in mainland China. Born and raised in the U.S., Jeremy grew up deeply connected to both his Taiwanese roots and his American upbringing, carrying that blend with him into every step of his basketball journey.

His mother, Shirley, played an enormous role in helping Jeremy chase his dream. In a heartfelt episode of his “A Convo with…” podcast, Jeremy recalled how she used her “401(k)” to fund his NBA draft training. She told him he had two years to make it, and if it didn’t work out, he needed to “call it quits.”

Lin shared, “Seven years after making the NBA, where I was like, ‘Wow, you really went down to, like, you gave out your retirement fund for me to be able to chase my dream.’” Every meal, every coaching fee, every moment of that crucial period was covered by his mother’s sacrifice, something Jeremy only fully realized years later.

Growing up Asian American and stepping into the NBA brought its own set of pressures. “There’s this thing about growing up Asian American and always having a chip on your shoulder, and always having to prove yourself,” Lin said.

He explained, “If I ever have one bad game, then I won’t be able to ever recover from it, or if I have one good game, then that’s never enough. I have to put together three straight good games, four straight good games until they actually believe in me.”

The weight of expectation didn’t stop there. “Back then [during Linsanity] it was like, every question [was] like, ‘Jeremy, what it is like to be Asian in the NBA?’ Everything was about being Asian in the NBA…It became a huge burden, because I felt like I had to be this phenomenon for everybody else.” For Lin, carrying his ethnicity was as much a part of his journey as every shot he took on the court.

Is Jeremy Lin Christian?

Jeremy Lin grew up in Palo Alto, California, in a Christian household, and his faith has always been a guiding force in his life. For him, basketball wasn’t just about scoring points or winning games, it was also about living out his devotion to Jesus Christ, studying the Bible, praying, and sharing his faith whenever possible.

Reflecting on his journey, Lin said, “I’m just thankful to God for everything. Like the Bible says, ‘God works in all things for the good of those who love Him.’”

As a freshman in high school, he deepened his commitment during his years at Harvard, where he actively participated in the Harvard-Radcliffe Asian American Christian Fellowship and studied the Bible with Adrian Tam, even reading books like

Too Busy Not to Pray together.

Lin’s faith shaped both his life on and off the court. Tam noted, “First and foremost, he is a disciple of Christ. That becomes very evident from the beginning. When you meet him you don’t think, ‘Oh wow, this must be an important person.’ He’s very humble. In some ways, you might even think he downplays a lot of these things — his intellect, his ability and all that.”

Stephen Chen, Lin’s pastor, added, “He wants to be careful with it. I think he wants to be able to enjoy what he can enjoy in the things that would honor God, and at the same time be cautious about how he lives his life. He wants to be the same person.”

Reflecting on how faith impacts his approach to life and basketball, Lin said, “Not just in basketball, but I think in life, when you’re called to be a Christian, you’re automatically called to differ from everyone else. Much of it comes down to humility…if we really understand the Gospel, we will be humble. We should be humble, and understand that everything that is good comes from God.”

In the end, Jeremy Lin’s journey is about more than basketball, it’s a story of perseverance, cultural pride, and unwavering faith. From his Taiwanese American roots to his Christian devotion, Lin’s life shows how dedication, family support, and staying true to oneself can turn dreams into reality.