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Though it is unsurprising, it still stings a little to see that fans of Lin are invoking the same racist imagery to uplift him. “The Yellow Mamba” was written on a poster of the Knicks vs. Lakers game, the event that kicked off “Linsanity” to the nth degree because Lin took on Kobe Bryant – and won. Lin scored more points than the inimitable Kobe, the man who has led the Lakers to five world championships (not to mention remain a fan favorite even after facing sexual assault charges). Since then, everyone’s buzzing about this kid and generally loving him – but sometimes painfully so.

Some Americans, well-intentioned liberals, race apologists, and the privileged want to use Lin’s race as proof of how far we have come racially. See, he’s Asian and everyone loves him, race doesn’t matter anymore. But what makes Lin’s story so interestingly unique, the fact that he came out of nowhere, is how his race contributes to his path to fame. He was a star basketball player in high school and college, but was overlooked in both arenas because he is Asian, a little too light and a little too yellow for fans who see basketball as a largely black and white sport, even his high school basketball coach lamented it.

I’ve heard people say that they don’t really believe that he has the staying power, that his record-breaking start was a fluke, that a Harvard graduate with an Economics degree should head to Wall Street. Some question Lin’s love for the sport as if it is disingenuous, as if his appreciation for education [and 4.2 high school GPA] is indicative of not really belonging. Negative or positive, race is playing a major role in the portrayal of the rookie baller.