MANILA, Philippines – Former NBA star Jeremy Lin was elated to reconnect with his “little brother” Rondae Hollis-Jefferson when the New Taipei Kings played the Meralco Bolts in the East Asia Super League (EASL) on Wednesday.
Lin showed out against the Bolts during their matchup at the Philsports Arena, finishing with a game-high 23 points, 10 rebounds and four assists to lead the Kings.
At the sidelines of the game was Hollis-Jefferson, the injured import of the TNT Tropang Giga, with his brother, Rahlir.
During the game, Hollis-Jefferson playfully distracted Lin while the guard was on the free throw line.
And after the game, the lefty forward crashed Lin’s post-game interview.
Lin was happy with Hollis-Jefferson spending his birthday watching his game.
“I mean, he’s like a little brother. Through my nine years in the NBA, he’s one of my closest friends through those nine years,” the guard told reporters.
“Today is his birthday. For him to come out on his birthday to bring his brother and their families out on his birthday, it speaks volumes. He’s just a great guy,” Lin added.
The two shared the court with the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA.
The 6-foot-6 forward was drafted by the Nets and played for the franchise from 2015 to 2019.
Lin, for his part, was part of the Brooklyn squad from 2016 to 2018.
“He’s killing it out here, doing a great job, and I know he’s having a lot of fun. So, I appreciate his support for the Kings,” he added.
For his part, Hollis-Jefferson had all love for Lin.
“It was amazing to see him. Every time I see him, I love him. He knows how I feel about him. To be able to watch him play and do what he does, it’s amazing to watch him play with his brother,” he said.
“I got to experience that for the first time and it was amazing. So, I’m just proud of him, happy for him. Words can’t describe it.”