In China , sports fans and media claiming Lin , an American , to Taiwan ancestry . Wang says Lin visited China in the summer during the NBA lockout and had talked with Yao Ming , the hulking Houston Rockets center who retired from the NBA last year . With Yao Ming in retirement , millions of basketball fans in China seek a new role model . For years , Chinese basketball has been geared to finding super tall Chinese players . Many admire Lin , a Harvard graduate , for striking a balance between education and sports .
In China , sports fans and media claiming Lin , an American , to Taiwan ancestry . With Yao Ming in retirement , millions of basketball fans in China seek a new role model . For years , Chinese basketball has been geared to finding super tall Chinese players . Many admire Lin , a Harvard graduate , for striking a balance between education and sports .