Jeremy Lin Makes History as the First Asian American to Get Signature Basketball Shoes

February 3, 2021

After 11 years of professional basketball, Jeremy Lin is finally launching his own signature shoes.

The 32-year-old, who currently plays for the Santa Cruz Warriors in the NBA G League, has signed up with Chinese brand Xtep to release the JLIN ONE — with blue “Water” shoes as the main colorway.

“I love the color blue,” Lin told Bleacher Report Kicks. “And these are the ‘Water’ shoes that represent walking on water.”

Lin, a devout Christian, says the pair was inspired by a passage in the Bible of apostle Peter walking on water. The sneakers also feature details such as “ripples” at the bottom, as well as his “JL” logo at the back of the right heel, which resembles feet walking on water above a droplet (a stylized number 7).

The entire line showcases the number 1, which was cleverly designed with a line in the middle to represent the number 11.

Altogether, the numbers represent JLIN ONE (1), his basketball number (7) and the length of his career as a professional player (11).

This marks the first time an Asian American basketball player has released a line of signature shoes.

“At one point, it just really looked like I was never gonna have my own signature shoe. Waiting 11 years, I might be the oldest player to ever have their first signature shoe,” Lin tells Kicks. “I’m the first Asian American to have my own signature basketball shoe.”

Lin says his shoes also embody the slogan “Nothing Stops Me,” which represents a mentality of persistence and perseverance that he has kept while going through challenges in life.

“This shoe line is about embodying a spirit or a mentality that you wanna have,” Lin tells Kicks. “And so when people tie these shoes on, I want them to really feel something, whether it’s perseverance, the endless chase of your dreams, or not listening to the critics… I want people to really feel that when they put them on.”

Lin finished a mandatory quarantine on Jan. 30. His team will play in the season opener against the G League Ignite on Feb. 10, according to the South China Morning Post.

Feature Image Screenshots via B/R Kicks

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