Going from 'Linsanity' to 'rock bottom', Jeremy's seen it all

Jeremy Lin broke down in tears during an emotional appearance in Chinese Taipei when he described hitting "rock bottom" and feeling abandoned by the NBA as he languishes as a free agent.

As a member of the Toronto Raptors last season, Lin became the first Asian-American to win an NBA title, but he was often benched during the playoffs as he struggled with his form.

The player who inspired the 'Linsanity' hysteria of 2012 became an unrestricted free agent this summer and is still without a team as the new season approaches.

Lin wept as he recounted his career trajectory while on stage at a church in Chinese Taipei, from where his parents emigrated to the United States.

"Free agency has been tough because I feel like in some ways the NBA has kind of given up on me," he told the crowd in a heartfelt address.

He said he had waited years to play for the Raptors but felt his time with the team was plagued by the "worst shooting" of his career.

Lin averaged just 3.4 minutes in the playoffs and one minute on the court during the Finals.

Free agency was "the last straw that broke the camel's back", he said, after which he hung his head and wept.

"Every year it gets harder," Lin said after he managed to compose himself. "In English there's a saying that once you hit rock bottom, the only way to go is up. But rock bottom just seems to keep getting more and more rock bottom for me."

Lin was speaking at a New Taipei City Sunday church event that was broadcast live on Good TV.

Lin has struggled with injuries and inconsistency since he sparked 'Linsanity' for the New Yorks Knicks in 2012 by leading them to a seven-game win streak early in the season that evened their record at 15-15. He averaged 22 points per game during the streak.

That season elevated Lin's stardom far beyond the US to Asia, where basketball has a huge following even though there has long been a shortage of Asian players in the NBA.

In 2017, Lin sustained a serious knee injury while playing for the Brooklyn Nets.

"I'm here to just tell you to not give up," Lin told the 2,000 fans who showed up to hear him speak.

The Harvard graduate point guard, who was born in Los Angeles, started his professional career in 2010 with the Golden State Warriors.

He has played for eight teams in his nine-year pro career, including the Knicks, Houston Rockets, LA Lakers and Charlotte Hornets.

Lin was on an Asian visit over the past week and attended Monday's Chinese Basketball Association Draft with CBA chairman and former NBA All-Star center Yao Ming on Monday.

Lin's appearance stirred another round of rumors about his possibly joining a CBA club. Seeing how he is loved in China, a stint in the CBA would seem to make sense.

Several NBA stars, most famously Stephon Marbury, have gone that route, so Lin should have no trouble doing the same.

Lin has already proven that he can be an asset either as a starter or an effective contributor coming off the bench.

Another consideration would be the huge commercial market behind him should he decide to join a club in China.