[Time] Chinese officials want Lin on National Team
 

Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/02/22/...#ixzz1n8ujuRv0

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Colangelo, however, says he won’t be swayed by public opinion, or even the remote possibility of China taking him away. Lin’s maternal grandmother is from mainland China, and Xinhua, the state news agency, has already called on Lin to renounce his U.S. citizenship and suit up for the Chinese team. (China does not allow dual citizenship. Lin’s parents are from Taiwan, but the Taiwanese team cannot qualify for the London Games).

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Lin is tight with Yao Ming – he has said he speaks to Yao after every game – and one international basketball expert, Tony Ronzone, says Yao will be more involved with organizing the national team. Ronzone, the former Minnesota Timberwolves assistant GM who serves as a scout for USA Basketball, expects China, which needs a point guard, to make a real play for Lin. (Through a Knicks spokesman, Lin tells TIME that Chinese officials have not personally contacted him about playing on the country’s Olympic team. Lin says he hasn’t thought about the Olympics, and is doing his best to stay focused on the current season).

Yes, it’s still a long shot, but holy global affairs metaphor: imagine the uproar if the U.S. loses Linsanity to China, American’s biggest creditor and an emerging superpower. It would be deafening. However, don’t expect Lin to leverage any China invite for a spot on this year’s U.S. team. Colangelo is resolute. Says Colangelo: “I’m not in a defensive situation with China.”

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It is really just about the Olymics and Team China needing a PG very badly.

Why would anyone want to downgrade

Not in a million years, if he was to do it it would be for Taiwan if anything.

finally the US is exporting products to CHINA instead !

MADE IN USA, SEE HOW IT FEELS :)

I wouldn't be surprised if they made an exception for Lin in the future and allowed him to keep the dual citizenship and play for the Chinese team.

Would be a win-win situation.

lol!gg

Sounds like an upgrade to me. He'll be treated like a God, if he wears the chinese uniform. And there's always this:

LOL!
:grin:

This - I thought he was Taiwanese. How does China presume they can do this? Oh wait...Taiwan never had their own sovereignty recognized by China.

Sucks...

let's see what Harvard thinks about that...

If JR Holden can play for Russia, all bets are off.

I'm Chinese but this is disgusting.

China is such an embarassing country, it's sad.

why would he do that

China is being a little biach.

He won't play for Taiwan either because their team suck balls and it will be a waste of time

Lin is from the independent nation of Taiwan -- why would he want to play for China?

Silly commies... lol

Misleading headline.

It seems they want him to renounce US citizenship if he were to play on the Chinese Olympic team. I'm not seeing why this would be unreasonable.

It's no big deal. It happens quite often. People just switch back to their original nationalities when careers are over and no more money is to be made.

F China!

Lin is good enough to play for the US Team.