Who better for Asia’s top college players to learn from than a Harvard standout turned New York Knicks star?

AUBL hosted a fireside chat with Jeremy Lin in Shanghai on October 12, with the reigning league champions, Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s men’s basketball team, in attendance. Lin congratulated the players on their title and shared valuable insights on life as a student-athlete, from balancing academics and basketball at Harvard to managing pressure and finding joy in the game.

Lin drew parallels between his Harvard experience and the opportunities AUBL gives student-athletes. Just as Division I basketball gave him a stage to face top competition in the United States, AUBL has opened a pioneering door for Asia’s emerging stars to compete across borders against the region’s leading university teams.

“I think AUBL is doing great things,” Lin said. “It brings international exposure and competition beyond your own local area. That in itself gives you a chance to stand out and be seen.”

One standout moment came when AUBL26 Finals MVP Chen Tiancan of Shanghai Jiao Tong asked Lin how he could help younger, less experienced teammates stay positive under pressure. Lin said it starts with being steady yourself and having a short memory so you don’t dwell on mistakes. Once you’re calm and stop listening to the little voices telling you that you can’t, he explained, that’s when you’re unlocked.

Looking ahead, Lin spoke about the lasting impact AUBL could have on young athletes across Asia: “Three, five or ten years from now, when we sit here and look back, it may have become something very special, opening up and changing the lives of many young athletes.”

AUBL is honored to have Lin, a true role model for Asian student-athletes, believe in where the league is going. With its first home-and-away season on the horizon, the league can’t wait to show everyone what it’s all about.