NBA champion, Jeremy Lin, has donated 1 million yuan ($200,000) to Hubei province through his charity foundation, reported Chinese sports media outlet PP Sports which keeps a running total of donations by Chinese athletes.

Over 17 million yuan has been donated by athletes as of February 8.

Lin left the NBA at the end of the 2018-2019 season for the Beijing Ducks in the CBA, China’s first-tier basketball league.

However, at the end of January, CBA announced that the season has been postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus outbreak situation.

Lin, who is now training in America before the season resumes, wrote a 270-word Instagram post about the coronavirus global health emergency: “Time flies and life is a blur. As I sit back and reflect, all I can say is this past year has been so crazy.”

He shared that he has not had much to say on social media for the past few months, but “felt very strongly about this post”.

In the emotional text which also mentioned the recent deaths of his good friend Godfrey Gao, ex-teammate Kobe Bryant and daughter, and Beijing Ducks captain G-Man, Lin wrote: “Today isn’t guaranteed. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. Nothing in life is guaranteed.

“Find joy, find purpose, find truth. Love radically, serve generously. Life is too short and too precious for time to be wasted.”

“Saddened” by racism

Lin, whose has said his purpose of playing basketball is “for the glory of God”, also spoke out against the rising xenophobia and racism which he attributed to “fear or ignorance”.

He is “saddened” by the racist comments and pointed out: “There are real people suffering and real heroes working around the clock in service to others – please don’t let your fear or ignorance rob you of seeing that.”

The basketball star is the first Asian-American to make it to the NBA and has said that he is “used to” being written off by coaches and hearing racist jeers from the crowd.

“This world needs more compassion and empathy,” he urged. “We are all imperfect humans – we all need grace.”

The celebrity who has publicly said he wants to be remembered, not for the “Linsanity” craze, but as one who “lived for God” and was “faithful in (his) life”, ended his post on a sombre note:

“You have one life to live, focus on what really matters in life. And pray that God blesses us with the chance to see tmrw.”

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