Jeremy Lin Reacts to Chinese Fans Calling Former NBA Player N-Word

Apparently bad fan behavior isn’t only happening in the US.

Sonny Weems, a former NBA player who now plays for the Guangdong Southern Tigers in the Chinese Basketball Association, had fans shouting the n-word at him after a recent game.

The American basketball player got into a fight with Han Dejun of the Flying Leopards during the third quarter of the game, which angered fans.

Via CNN:

In a video circulating on social media, fans can be heard repeatedly shouting the “N” word and “get out of China” at 35-year-old Weems, who plays for the Guangdong Southern Tigers in the Chinese Basketball Association.

The incident happened after the Southern Tigers’ game against the Liaoning Flying Leopards last Thursday. During the game, a fight broke out between Weems and Chinese player Han Dejun which resulted in both players being ejected.

In the video, Weems is seen exiting the team bus along with the rest of the team when a crowd of fans can be heard yelling the racist slurs. Weems appears to ignore the crowd.

In a statement on Friday, the CBA said it has a “zero-tolerance attitude toward any discriminatory words or deeds,” and in an open letter to fans asked them not to engage in “uncivilized behavior” and “vulgar words.”

Jeremy Lin showed him support on social media.

“I’ve experienced first-hand what it’s like to be called a ‘Chinaman’ in a place where I’m considered a ‘foreigner’. And to be honest, it’s scary when everyone around you doesn’t look like you,” former NBA champion Lin, who now plays with the Beijing Ducks, wrote in a post on Weibo in support of Weems.

Jeremy Lin condemns racist abuse of ex-NBA star Sonny Weems by Chinese basketball fans – ‘that word carries so much hurt, unfairness and hatred’ https://t.co/47DEVSqZ4Q

— Keith Richburg (@keithrichburg) January 19, 2022

Weems has yet to comment.

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