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Eric Chan Professor D. Lilley Source Evaluation 1 February 27, 2019 Source Evaluation 1 Research Question How did Jeremy Lin overcome the inherent stereotypes and discrimination that led him to the NBA? What is his role in breaking Asian American stereotypes and how did “Linsanity” change the perception of Asian Americans in sports and other pop culture? Citation Leung, Maxwell. “Jeremy Lin’s Model Minority Problem.” Contexts, vol. 12, no. 3, SAGE Publications, Aug. 2013, pp.52-56, doi:10.1177/1536504213499879. Author Information Maxwell Leung is an assistant professor at California College of the Arts in the Critical Studies Program. His research explores the relationship between representation and expression of state power and its regulation of subjectivity, agency, and culture. His primary research is focused on hate violence studies, law and society, studies of governance, critical race theory, and poststructuralist theory. He also researches Asian American Studies, comparative Ethnic studies, visual sociology, and popular culture. In 2010, Leung became an Associate Researcher to the Islamophobia Research and Documentation project at UC Berkeley. Summary of Arguments/Methods This article focuses on Jeremy Lin’s time on the New York Knicks, in what became “Linsanity”. It was during this time that Lin quickly rose to the upper echelon of basketball players in the NBA. It also focuses on the racial stereotypes and discrimination that Lin faced in his journey to the NBA. Maxwell Leung delves into the concept of Asian Americans being the “model minority” in the United States. The idea that through hard work and sheer perseverance, Asian Americans can become an example of how any minority can overcome the institutionalized inequality. This model minority trope is so prevalent in the U.S. that the Pew Research Center released a report titled, “The Rise of Asian Americans”. The report portrayed Asian Americans as highly educated, possessing an incredible work ethic, and are above average in terms of income. However, this report made an enormous generalization by categorizing many different Asian nationalities into one group. Jeremy Lin’s entrance into the NBA was plagued by commentaries that frequently display this model minority mindset. Many people attributed his basketball skills and knowledge towards his time at Harvard, despite Lin beginning to play the game at his local

YMCA and neighborhood playgrounds in Palo Alto, CA. In contrast, reports and commentaries on black basketball players often associated their skill towards their “urban experience” and very rarely refers to their formal education. This is the Asian American stereotype at work, highlighting his educational achievements while sidelining the physical experience of playing basketball. Key Terms Linsanity The period of Jeremy Lin’s meteoric rise to stardom. Lin led the New York Knicks on a sevengame winning streak averaging 26.8 points per game. Lin’s presence on the Knicks boosted their revenue and ticket prices as he became a global phenomenon. Model Minority Refers to the trope focusing on the success of Asian Americans due to their work ethic, intelligence, and drive to succeed. It forces Asian Americans to become an example to other minorities that anybody can be successful despite the institutionalized inequality that exits in the United States. Quotes and Analysis “Although Linsanity lasted just three glorious weeks, Jeremy Lin still offers a powerful new image of Asian American sport prowess that both challenges and reaffirms the model minority myth.” The period of Linsanity, regardless of its length made a huge contribution towards challenging the stereotypes towards Asian Americans. Jeremy Lin broke through the norm and became a cultural icon and role model for many Asian Americans who struggled to find their identity. It brought to the table the idea that Asians were not only just intelligent, but also had athletic abilities as well. Despite Lin challenging the stereotypes of the model minority, he also reaffirmed the myths as well. Coming out of Harvard undrafted, Lin’s underdog story of hard work and persistence plays into the image of the model minority. Regardless, Jeremy Lin’s journey to the NBA inspires many to achieve more than what the expected norm is. “Likely because he did not fit expectations about what an elite basketball player looks like, Lin was talented, but flew under the radar. The fact that many college coaches and recruiters later admitted that they’d failed to recognize Lin’s talents suggests they couldn’t see “past” his Asian features.” Despite the progressive advancements made towards cultural integration and inclusion, it is evident that it is very clearly rooted in societal expectations. Even in high school, Lin was a very good basketball player, good enough to play for the Ivy League. The fact that he was so under the radar despite his talents exemplifies the racial stereotypes that are still inherent in today’s society. Physically, Lin had the build of a basketball player, but his Asian background limited his opportunities available to him. Due to the simple fact that Asians were not stereotypically seen as athletic and excelling in basketball, Lin was not given a chance by many college coaches and

recruiters. On a grand scheme, the perception towards Asians that other people have, has a very large impact towards the perceptions Asians have on themselves. The negative portrayal of Asians in pop cultural is detrimental to the success of many individuals simply due to the lack of opportunities present to them. “Lin offers Asian Americans the chance to see themselves as something other than doctors, engineers, or accountants, while also affirming the belief that they are high achievers.” The stereotype that all Asians aspire to be doctors, engineers, accounts, and essentially any occupation that offers a well-paying salary is deeply ingrained in not only in society, but within Asian communities themselves. This constant portrayal of Asians being limited strictly to these fields’ success has a profound impact on individuals that struggle to identify themselves. This restricts many Asian Americans from pursuing other unconventional forms of success. Jeremy Lin was a prime example of breaking the mold. Not only did he establish an identity that many Asian Americans could relate to, he also changed their mindsets. The belief that success does not only reside in these stereotypically occupations changed the portrayal of Asian Americans in all forms of pop cultural, providing representation and pride in identity of all Asians, not just limited to those within the U.S. Synthesis This article by Leung provides a great framework of the research that I will be further examining on the impact of Jeremy Lin as a cultural icon. In addition, the article discusses the idea of the “model minority”, a kind of double-edged sword in terms of Lin’s rise to success. As quoted from Leung, “Although Linsanity lasted just three glorious weeks, Jeremy Lin still offers a powerful new image of Asian American sport prowess that both challenges and reaffirms the model minority myth.” Lin forever changed the way Asian Americans are viewed in pop cultural, however, it does fuel the “model minority” myth that’s been ingrained in American society. The idea that Asians are successful due to their intelligence and hard work, rather than their skills or athleticism. It is a form of stereotyping that has adverse impacts on the perception of Asian Americans, viewing them as weak or less masculine. Although Lin is an example that is above that stereotypical misconception, there are still a vast majority that continue to have this view towards Asian Americans. The importance lies in not what had happened, but what is to happen in the future, the legacy of Jeremy Lin. Overall Evaluation This article was a valuable source in that it examines Jeremy Lin’s success from both a positive viewpoint as well as a more negative viewpoint, the fueling of the “model minority” myth. The author, Maxwell Leung researches Asian American studies as well popular culture and offers valuable insight from his perspective as a researcher in his respective fields. However, the article is dated from six years ago, back in 2013. There has been a lot of change between then and now, but that does not affect the overall interpretation of the article. In addition to the article itself, Leung also recommends other peer-reviewed sources that also focus on the idea of “model minority” and the connections and relationships between sport and race in American culture. Questions

How can Asian Americans overcome the hurdle of racial discrimination without fueling the myth of being a “model minority”?...