(XINHUA)

Houston Rockets basketball star Jeremy Lin, an emerging pop idol with a huge following of young fans in China, sent his best wishes to Chinese youth in a message from the United States, highlighting the importance of teamwork and encouraging students to bravely pursue their dreams in a video shot for a program called The First Lesson of the China Central Television (CCTV) on September 3.

The Chinese Ministry of Education and CCTV have been producing the program since 2008 as a welcoming gift for students. The show invites dozens of celebrities to give speeches on a topic at the beginning of each autumn semester. This year's theme is The Beauty Around You.

Lin, 24, is a Harvard-educated guard and the first American-born NBA player of Chinese heritage. He became an international sensation earlier this year with his exceptional skills, humor and work ethic.