Jeremy Lin Will Quack Again: NBA Star Returns to the Beijing Ducks

The NBA’s loss is our gain with Jeremy Lin’s Jun 12 announcement that he’ll be returning to play with the Beijing Shougang Ducks for the 2021-22 CBA season.

The season will begin in the June, but Lin, age 32, told his fans that he needed to make a decision a tad bit early due to visa and quarantine considerations. He’ll be joining Americans Johnathan Gibson and Jordan McRae, along with Croatian-American Justin Hamilton as the fourth foreigner on the team’s roster.

Most loyal fans will not be totally surprised by the announcement, given had promised to return to the ducks once he could be certain that a continuation of his NBA career was not in the cards. After his admission last month that he “ realize[s] the NBA door is just not opening,” it was only a matter of time before he would announce his return to the flock.

Lin previously played for the ducks in the 2019-20 season before returning stateside to play for the Santa Cruz Warriors, the G League affiliate of his original NBA team, the Golden State Warriors. But it seems that he was unable to resist the quacking call from across the ocean urging his return to China’s capital.

A true Duck at heart, Lin is coming back with his tail up high, insisting that he has “No regrets about the past,” adding that he has “plenty of basketball left” to play in his career. His words are in line with previous statements that he has no plans to retire after striking out with his plans to hop back into the NBA.

Without a doubt, every Duck fan in the city is eager to see him play again in the Cadillac Arena. Last season, fans were able to attend games without a COVID test, and there’s no indication so far that the policy will change for the upcoming games.

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Images: CGTN, Instagram