Asian American Basketball: A Century of Sport, Community and Culture

When Jeremy Lin began to knock down shots for the New York Knicks early in 2012, many Americans became aware for the first time that Asian Americans actually play basketball. Indeed, long before Lin startled the NBA world, Asian Americans have not only played basketball, but have played it with passion and skill. This book provides a comprehensive history of Asian American basketball. It traces how Asian Americans have used basketball to provide them a sense of community. It examines how through basketball Asian Americans have traversed racial and ethnic barriers. It demonstrates that perhaps a surprising number of Asian American have excelled at high school, college, and professional hoops. It reminds readers that it has not always been easy. Asian American basketball was and continues to be played in the shadows cast by an anti-Asian bigotry much too prevalent in historical and contemporary America.