(Photo: Reuters/Mike Segar)New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin celebrates after a play in the second quarter of their NBA game against the Sacramento Kings in New York's Madison Square Garden, Feb. 15, 2012.
Jeremy Lin, the New York Knicks' guard who has been breaking NBA records recently, has asked the media to leave his family alone.
After Lin and the Knicks bested the Dallas Mavericks in a 104-97 victory on Sunday, the Chinese-American NBA star asked the media for a special request.
"One special request I have is for the media back in Taiwan to kind of give them their space because they can't even go to work without being bombarded and people following them," Lin said. "I want people to respect the privacy of my relatives in Taiwan. Hopefully this will get back to everybody because they need to live their lives as well."
Since Lin made his way from the D-league to the Knicks' starting lineup, the 23-year-old Harvard graduate has also gained fans in Taiwan. Lin's family has also been the focal point of some media reports, expressing their pride in his most recent achievements.
In a CBS report, Lin's Taiwanese family held back tears while watching him beat the Toronto Raptors with a game-winning three-point shot. Lin's maternal grandmother, Lin Chu A Muen, took care of the budding NBA star when he was a child.
However, she now lives in Taiwan. Lin explained why he felt the need to be so protective of his family after his Mavericks win.
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"I love my family, I love my relatives," he said.
While Lin expressed admiration for his family, the Knicks' newest addition expressed appreciation for their teammate. J.R. Smith, who played his first game with the Knicks on Sunday, spoke about playing with Lin.
"Just watching him play, it was crazy. He really inspires a lot of people around here and a lot of people around the world," Smith told the media after the game. "He is definitely a person that people can look up to. When you hear his story it gives you hope for anything."
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