The TV was on and Peyton Manning's face took up most of it. I thought, you can't be on ESPN. You're not Jeremy Lin.
Lin is the most hyped athlete since Tim Tebow, and it's beautiful. Has little to do with his Taiwanese ancestors, although that makes an interesting sidebar. Has to do with being the ultimate underdog.
Here's an athlete that colleges ignored. He went to Harvard and became to it what Stephen Curry was to Davidson. Lin became an NBA temp, bouncing to Curry's Golden State Warriors, to Houston, to New York's bench and then, because of injuries to and ineptitude by the players in front of him, to the starting lineup.
Now he's a star, and he proved it Tuesday with a 3-pointer at the buzzer against Toronto to lift the Knicks to a 3-point victory.
My favorite part of the story is this: the NBA and college coaches know more about recruiting than they ever have. They have access to more equipment, more information and more video. They develop a prototype -- fall within these parameters and you have a chance to play in the NBA.
Lin didn't, and not only has he made it, he has shaken up the league.
There are qualities that even in 2012 experts are unable to measure, and Lin proves it every night. Hope he continues to.
It just doesn't make sense. New York sucks.
Posted by: Buckley | February 15, 2012 at 02:15 PM
Good points all, Tom. As a California high school basketball nut, I've been following Lin closely since his jr high days in the Bay Area (where I lived until 2009). His list of intangibles is endless. He's responsible for leading his team to arguably the biggest upset in CA high school hoops history: a victory over my alma mater (Mater Dei of Santa Ana, CA - the second-most successful high school basketball program in the nation over the past 25 yrs) in the '06 state finals.
His greatest advantage could be his heritage. I was a youth pastor at a Chinese church in the Bay Area for 13 years and the drive and discipline of those kids is unparalleled. Lin was the Bible study leader for one of the kids in my youth group when she was in high school. He's got a great heart and, again, a matchless work ethic. Teams will clearly adjust to him, but I believe his basketball IQ, hustle and drive will more than make up for it. I hope and expect to see him in the league for a while.
Posted by: BJ | February 15, 2012 at 02:26 PM
Be scared! The Chinese are coming on all fronts!
Posted by: Zoe Zimmerman | February 15, 2012 at 03:33 PM
@ZoeZimmerman: the dude isn't Chinese, he's American (Taiwanese-American, that is).
Posted by: pantherd | February 15, 2012 at 03:59 PM
I think he is breathing life back into the NBA.
Posted by: Charles Treadaway | February 15, 2012 at 04:29 PM
What's great about his going to Harvard is that, if memory serves me correctly, the Ivy League schools do not give out athletic scholarships, making this "kid" a great bargain for anyone. Boy did Jeremy Lin skew the scouting & recruiting systems.
Posted by: rwilson23 | February 15, 2012 at 05:25 PM
Compelling story. Let's have fun and enjoy it.
Posted by: landmerchant | February 15, 2012 at 06:38 PM
There are some many tangents to be enthralled about this story. Underdog, overlooked, ignored, Harvard education, moral, humble, considerate and no tattoos. He is what the NBA has lacked for such a long time. This is the first time I am even considering watching the NBA outside of the playoffs.
Posted by: rob | February 15, 2012 at 07:13 PM
His biggest draw is he has no tie in to the horrid Bobkittens.
Posted by: chris | February 15, 2012 at 07:32 PM
Jeremy Lin scores 30 against UConn.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ2mng5e95w
People shouldn't have been surprised that he's played this well. Like here: he scored 30 against UConn in college against Kemba Walker and UConn.
Posted by: pantherd | February 15, 2012 at 07:42 PM
Jeremy Lin story proves team players prevail over ball hog, me first players like Carmelo Anthony.
Posted by: tony | February 15, 2012 at 09:23 PM
A friend in need is a friend indeed^^.
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