Sports
Joe Lin ’15 signs with pro Taiwanese basketball team
By Yoshi Hill ’16
September 3, 2015
On Aug. 7, recent Hamilton graduate Joseph Lin ’15 put pen to paper on a two-year contract to continue playing basketball in Taiwan, the homeland of his parents who immigrated to the United States in the mid-1970’s. He will play with the Fubon Braves, one of seven teams that compose the Super Basketball League, Taiwan’s premier basketball league. With the end of his collegiate career marred by an injury, Lin hoped to continue playing basketball after finishing his studies with a major in economics, saying, “I’ve always wanted to play basketball after college… Last summer I practiced with one of the teams, and that’s where the real interest started.”
During the 2014-15 season, Lin was an integral part of the Continentals. Starting consistently for the first time, he distinguished himself as a playmaker capable of setting up his teammates for open three-point shots or layups. His distribution was unparalleled, with 6.4 assists per game, a figure that led the NESCAC. Handed the starting point guard spot at the beginning of the season, he took on this challenge in stride, not only improving his teammates but also elevating his own game to replace the scoring of the previous year’s seniors.
Lin also proved himself as a two-way player capable of anticipating opponents’ passes and plays, stealing the ball almost twice a game. Due to his stellar season directing Hamilton’s offense, he received second team recognition from the NESCAC All-Conference Team.
Hamilton’s men’s basketball coach Adam Stockwell added that the team will have large shoes to fill. “Our team is going to miss Joe’s quiet confidence, consistency and persistence a great deal. He has a tremendous will to prepare and the mindset that hard work will pay off,” he said.
Now Lin faces the challenge of arriving on an unfamiliar team and attempting to assert his credentials as a leading member of his new team. “I am hoping to play a big role this season. My goal is to start for the Braves … Hopefully I’ll create good opportunities for my teammates as well as score the ball,” he explained.
Lin credits the course of his Hamilton basketball career for his eagerness to welcome such a unique opportunity saying, “I think Hamilton has made me grow a lot as a player, mentally more than anything.” Additionally, he looks forward to reconnecting with Taiwanese culture following four years in central New York.
Coach Stockwell expressed a great deal of confidence in Lin’s chances of success, saying, “I would expect Joe to play a major role as he did here at Hamilton. Joe’s versatility should give him an opportunity to have a major impact on the team no matter what role the coaches are looking for from him.”