SCENE 1
Jeremy Lin (picture Generic Asian Man) enters Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY for his second game with the Nets. They are in a garage tunnel. Fans are nearby. A security guard(Big, “Bing Chilling” kinda guy, AKA John Cena-lookin’) steps forward to ask Jeremy a question.
SECURITY
Now where do you think you’re going? This garage is only for the players. Please use the public parking.
JEREMY
What do you mean?
SECURITY
I think you heard me clearly enough. Please get off the driveway so our players can pass through.
JEREMY
I’m Jeremy, I’m on the team.
SECURITY
What team? The last time I checked, there was no Chinese on the Nets.
JEREMY
Well, actually, there is. And I’m him.
SECURITY
You’re not fooling me. Look at yourself and your mohawk-looking-ass hair, this isn’t even a question. Get. Out!
HECKLER 1 (O.S.)
Dudeeee, is he talking to the ‘Chink in Armor’ like that?
HECKLER 2 (O.S.)
That’s ‘linsane’ bro, maybe he would be recognized more in China.
(Heckler 1 and Heckler 2 chuckle.)
JEREMY
(to himself)
Fuck everyone. I’m sick and tired of this bullshit.
D’ANGELO (O.S.)
Yo Jeremy, what’s up?
(Walks onto stage)
JEREMY
This weird ass security guard won’t let me in, he doesn’t think I’m on the team.
SECURITY
What’s up D’Lo! How’s your day? Look, I can explain…
D’ANGELO
Nah, you’re weird, man, let my guy in.
D’Angelo and Jeremy start walking. Security exits.
JEREMY
Bro, this shit is so annoying. Every single day people don’t give me my respect just because I look different than y’all.
D’ANGELO
I feel you man. We can’t really do much, some people just never change. Like that old white Walgreens guy who keeps giving me suspicious stares even though I’m a fucking millionaire, like why would I ever steal something.
(Beat, chuckles)
Did those guys make fun of your hair?
JEREMY
(laughs)
Yea, probably. I got that a lot in Charlotte.
D’ANGELO
Hey, you did have some crazy shit on your head for a while there. It’s a good thing you’re switching it up. What were you thinking bro?
JEREMY
Man, I don’t really know yet. We’ll see.
Jeremy and D’Angelo Russell exit into the team locker room facility. Scene ends.
SCENE 2
Players are gathered in the locker room. Jeremy sits
next to teammates, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and D’Angelo Russell.
JEREMY
(exasperated sigh)
What’s up y’all?
RONDAE
Nothing much, brodie. Just getting ready for the game. D’Lo was just telling me about what happened in the tunnel though.
D’ANGELO
Fucking wild, am I right?
RONDAE
Yea, nah, I can’t believe that shit. I mean, you the only fucking 6’0” Chinese dude in Brooklyn, much less the NBA.
(D’Angelo gives a questioning look)
I mean, yea, I was just saying it’s fucked up, is all. They should know who the fuck you are.
JEREMY
All good, all good. It just feels like, like… damn. You know what I mean? It’s my seventh year in the NBA. Like, I just don’t know if I’ll ever feel like I really fit in.
(others nod. beat)
Guys… Should I get dreads?
D’ANGELO RONDAE
What the fuck? Aw hell nah.
JEREMY
I mean, people keep making fun of my hair and who I am. Maybe I just need to immerse myself more into the culture. Like, get with the program. I don’t know. I just feel like once everyone gets off my dick about the way I look, they can focus on my game.
RONDAE
Mmm, that makes sense. I’m picking up what you’re putting down. You might go viral for a minute though.
D’ANGELO
Man, fuck all that noise. We’re all brothers in here and we got your back, always. I’ve been growing out my shit too. We could all get them together. That shit’d be hard as fuck.
RONDAE
Aye, I know a great guy on Lennox and 125th in Harlem. Gotta support black businesses.
JEREMY
Yeah of course. I posted a black square in 2020.
NARRATOR O.S.
It’s actually 2017 in this story but, yeah, he will post one at some point, I’m sure.
JEREMY
(Raises fist in solidarity)
Got you guys.
D’ANGELO
(looks at Rondae)
Man, you too funny. Alright, let’s hit the spot tomorrow.
All exit. Scene ends.
SCENE 3
It’s a slow day at the shop. A rather seasoned (old lol) gentleman and woman are chatting.
OLD HEAD 1
Look, all I’m saying, is that there’s no way sixty of these bitches didn’t want to get with the man. Six, I would believe. But Lord knows sixty’s a cooked-up number. It just got too nice a ring to it.
OLD HEAD 2
You see, that’s the scheme of the white man right there. Just like they did X, King, Till, Parks, and my own personal hero, Orenthal James, the white man will never stop trying to take down each and every one of our freedom fighters.
OLD HEAD 1
I mean, look, I’m not no homosexual or nothing, but when you hear the man say, “Jello,” in bed, you forget he’s a star. He’s a fucking star!
Jeremy Lin, D’Angelo Russell, and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson enter the barbershop together.
BARBER
Yoooo, what’s good with y’all? What can I hook you up with this time?
RONDAE
We getting dreads. ‘Loc’ it up, you know what I mean?
(Rondae waits for a laugh, Jeremy and D’Angelo exchange concerning looks)
OLD HEAD 2
Man, sit your corny-ass down.
(turns to Old Head 1)
These kids watch Nickelodeon once and think they’re Eddie Murphy or some shit.
The three sit down.
BARBER
(points at Jeremy and looks at Rondae)
Him too?
(Rondae nods, Barber turns to Jeremy)
You sure, brother?
D’ANGELO
Chill man, he’s cool. Trust me.
BARBER
Alright, alright. Let’s get this shit in. Just remember, these aren’t just random hairstyles. There’s a rich history and culture behind it.
JEREMY
Of course, of course. But, like, what do you mean?
OLD HEAD 1
He’s saying, that you gotta wear that shit with pride. Those are the hairstyles of 15th-century royalty. Those are the same kinds of hairstyles that fought for equal rights…
(Barber starts cutting hair, buzzing sound starts)
BLACKOUT.
SCENE 4
Jeremy wakes up groggy and opens his phone. He is startled by a bunch of beeping noises. He stands up and is staring intently at his screen.
JEREMY
(scrolling)
Oh god, I’m going viral. Worldstar got a photo of my new hair.
(squints at screen)
Lin tries to be black, turns out he’s not?
Chinese NBA player tries out dreads, goes wong?
Wait, what did LeBron say? Oh, just a laughing emoji.
Someone’s tryna go live with me. Kenyon Martin. Sure.
Kenyon Martin enters, also looking at his phone.
KENYON
(into his phone)
Oh wow, looks like Mr. Lin actually chose to join us!
JEREMY
What’s up, dude?
KENYON
Let me just cut the bullshit. Stop. Trying. To. Be. Black. You’re Chinese.
JEREMY
I’m not trying to be black, I’m just appreciating y’all’s culture.
KENYON
Nah you’re overstepping your bounds. Stick to your spiky hair. These dreads were worn over a millennia before the birth of Christ, in the motherland of Kenya. They’re sacred. Y’all people can’t just be sporting the hair that is so much of our identity. Yeah you’re in the NBA, but you don’t understand the struggles of your black “brothers”—at least not enough to share their hair.
JEREMY
I see what you mean, but I have no foul intentions. C’mon, like what do you think about the Chinese letters that you inked on your body, from a language standardized in the Qin Dynasty? Or that cultural Chinese food that you probably ordered this week? I’m not saying you’re appropriating our culture, but the exact opposite. We are celebrating each other’s cultures.
KENYON
(pauses to think)
Nah, that’s different. Everyone has Chinese tattoos, and yeah, it’s ‘cause they look cool.
Exeunt.
SCENE 5
NARRATOR
(O.S.)
Less than five days after Jeremy Lin adopted his new hair, he was indefinitely suspended from the Brooklyn Nets. Their official statement read:
The Brooklyn Nets do not condone cultural discrimination, appropriation, or mockery in any form. We are against Jeremy Lin’s decision to adopt an African hairstyle, and we stand in solidarity with the Black community.
Lin will be away from the team indefinitely. His would-be bonuses will be instead donated to Black Lives Matter Brooklyn.
Enraged with their organization’s decision to punish Lin, some Nets players spoke out. D’Angelo Russell penned an open letter in the Players’ Tribune:
(D’Angelo enters.)
D’ANGELO
(Looking at audience, passionate)
Jeremy is my guy. For the past two seasons, we’ve really gotten to know each other. I assure you that he is one of the kindest and most compassionate people I’ve ever met. I was there and encouraged him when he made the decision to get dreads. It wasn’t just for fun, Jeremy felt almost pressured to do so. The NBA claims it cares about diversity and inclusion; they can always do better in terms of treating Black athletes. But also, the league needs to start acknowledging our Asian brothers. Though our two races have very different experiences in America, we have some shared plights. Whenever I go to any historically white-dominated space; I stick out like a sore thumb and get made fun of, for my clothing and the way I talk. As soon as I change clothing or the accent that I grew up speaking, to try to fit in more, I get asked why I pretend to be white. On and off the court, I see Jeremy being harassed by fans, opponents, and members of our organization just because he is a little different than the rest of us players. They don’t think he belongs. My teammates and I appreciate him. But yet Jeremy felt so much like an outsider that he had to try to see what it was like to be like us. When he did so, out of nothing but respect and admiration, our organization decided to suspend him. What can he do? He simply can’t win, he’s trapped. Trapped is the way I feel. I’ve talked with Jeremy and that’s the way he feels. And I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the way other Asians players around the league and little Asian boys in front of their TVs feel. Jeremy is such a powerful, positive figure for his people and for our league, and he deserves to play the game he loves and continue inspiring everyone. I request that the Brooklyn Nets end his suspension within the next week.
BLACKOUT.