Jeremy Lin embraces mentorship role with Asian American college players

Last week, former NBA star Jeremy Lin launched the inaugural JLIN NextGen Basketball Camp in his hometown of Palo Alto, California, bringing together 12 standout Asian American college players for a three-day, invitation-only training program.

The camp marks Lin’s formal shift from professional athlete to mentor as he invests in developing the next generation of talent. At 36, Lin is still active professionally with the New Taipei Kings in Taiwan but is now channeling his experience into building up the next generation. As the first Taiwanese American to play in the NBA, his journey remains a defining moment for Asian American representation in sports. “Every time I hear about [Linsanity], I’m like, ‘Don’t tell me how old you were when it happened. … A lot of people still care about it,’” he told the Bay Area News Group.

Lin led the camp’s training sessions personally, offering insight and guidance to athletes navigating a path few have taken. Training covered skill development, strength conditioning and professional insights from Lin, who emphasized leadership and mindset alongside basketball fundamentals.

Lin said he hopes the camp will foster a stronger sense of identity and connection among Asian American athletes, many of whom are often the only ones representing their background on their teams. He also urged generational unity, expressing frustration when older Asian American athletes criticize younger ones instead of uplifting them.