Jeremy Lin grew up in Palo Alto, California; a far cry from where he is currently at right now, however his journey to “The Big Apple” didn’t come without perseverance and a bit of good fortune. At the current age of 23, Lin is quickly raising his pro basketball stock as he continues his progression as one of the NBA’s elite players. He is doing what no player has ever done before; seriously, look it up… To come off of the bench, completely inconspicuously, no one knowing who he is, after being on the verge of being released again and prove to, not only the coach, but everyone watching, that he not only deserves to be out on that court, but unexpectedly puts up all-star numbers, is astonishing.
The kid loves to play the game of basketball! That’s all he’s wanted his entire life, to be a pro basketball player. Now he is.
It’s definitely a feel good story, one captivated by the generalization that no matter how many times you fall down, you can get back up and continue to try again. That’s exactly what Jeremy Lin had to do to get to the position he’s in right now, along with a bit of lady luck.
Jeremy Lin played college ball for Harvard. He maintained solid numbers during his sophomore, junior, and senior year, averaging almost 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists during his collegiate career. He would end up going undrafted after graduating from the Ivy League school; eight teams had invited him to predraft workouts, however nobody took him. It would take a mini-camp visit to the Dallas Mavericks to start turning heads, as Lin joined their NBA summer league team in Las Vegas. In five summer league games, Lin received the exposure he needed and entered the NBA.
From his NBA debut in Oakland, playing for the Golden State Warriors, to his unusually brief stint in Houston, playing for the Rockets, Lin obviously felt as if his basketball days were quickly waning; there was a point where Lin was dropped down to the D-League three times, by the Warriors, and even once by the Knicks. Once Lin became a Knick, the turning point occurred on February 4th, 2012, when Coach Mike D’Antoni decided to give him a shot…
Jeremy Lin had 25 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds, playing 36 minutes coming off of the bench against the New Jersey Nets, which prompted a relieved, yet flabbergasted Mike D’Antoni to make a move procured by enhanced confidence to start the Taiwanese wonder the next game. There would be a day off for Lin to soak all of it in, however when it came time to suit up and play against the Jazz, he would be ready…
It was the Knicks’ second straight win, as Lin posted 28 points and 8 assists, playing a staggering 45 minutes; however it would precede to force the league, the media, and the fans into a frenzy that many have dubbed, “Linsanity”!
Things would become interesting now because Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony were now both out of commission. With a seemingly depleted Knicks’ team, how could the wins continue to pile up? That would soon be determined…
During the next four games (all wins); first against the Washington Wizards, and then the Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Toronto Raptors, Lin would score a total of 108 points, tally up 36 assists, and pick up 16 rebounds, all while playing insane minutes. It was after all of this that many naysayers shifted their perception of Lin, and had the Knicks overjoyed in finding a dexterous point guard.
With Stoudemire returning to the lineup for the Raptor’s game; his brother was killed in a car crash and he was mourning his death, quite a few people were stating how Lin’s production to the team would regress noticeably, however that obviously wasn’t the case. Once Anthony returns to the lineup, will “Linsanity” calm down? Or are we in for quite a treat in regards to the way Lin sees the floor so well, looks for the open man, and piles on those assists? If anything, Lin’s points may regress a tad, however his assists should go up. It should be very interesting to watch!
So in retrospect, Jeremy Lin obviously still has a lot to prove as a basketball player in the NBA. He’s only played six games up until this point, so let’s not ordain him as a Hall of Famer just yet… He is an amazing talent with a huge heart, so with the continued support of the fans, combined with his innate talent for scouting the floor well & scoring points, he will become an all-star before we all know it!