It seemed that NBA fans is now up to a new sensation. This past weeks the basketball world is rocked by the raves for the LINSANITY phenomenon, as the Harvard graduate Jeremy Lin started to show strong force towards NBA stardom.
Leading his team New York Knicks to 6-straight wins, all scoring more than 20pts, (including his 38 points career high against L.A Lakers and outscoring Kobe Bryant’s 34 points on that game), Lin gave basketball fans a new hero on the rise.
ProfiLIN
Born as Jeremy Shu-How Lin in Los Angeles, California, he share the same birthday with Kobe Bryant on August 23 just 10 years later in 1988. His parents Gie-Ming & Shirley Lin were Taiwanese emmigrants in the US thus making Jeremy the first American NBA player of Taiwanese blood. He studied high school in Palo Alto High School in Palo Alto, California where he led his basketball team to a 32-1 record to get the California Interscholastic Federation Division II state title. He was also named Player of the Year of the fist-team all state and Norther California Division II.
During college, because there were no scholarship offers from his dream schools Stanford and UCLA, he then went on to Harvard and took up Degree in Economics. With his height of 6’3, Harvard coach Bill Holden see him fit for what he seeks in a player. And with what Lin showed in his games he became top priority for the coach. And true enough, Lin’s college basketball career was also a great one. Being picked as among the 12 most versatile players of college basketball, he also contributed in numerous record wins for Harvard’s basketball team.
LINsational NBA Stardom
Before LINsanity, LINcredible, LINsation and other words associated with LIN became viral, Jeremy Lin first came from a meager beginning after being un-drafted in the 2010 NBA draft. In July 2010 he became member of his hometown and childhood favorite NBA team Golden State Warriors. It was a 2 year contract, partially guaranteed for the 2010-2011 season. But on December 2011 after NBA lockout was over, he was waived by Warriors who were freeing up salary cap. Golden States’ waiver of Lin was claimed by Houston Rockets but it didn’t took long also. But the birth of his star came when he was claimed by New York Knicks as a restricted free agent.
With consecutive losses and eventual injuries of key players of the Knicks, coach D’Antoni taught of giving Lin a chance to play more. And during their winning game against the New Jersey Nets where Lin scored 25 points, 7 assists and 5 rebound, D’Antoni was impressed because of his point guard mentality. Thereafter in their next game, Lin for the first time experienced playing as first five and it signaled the start of his stardom.
Leading Knicks to a 6 game winning streak and scoring his all time highs, LINSANITY phenomenon was born. Media attention and fan followings became viral because of his noteworthy stature. Associated press even called him the most surprising NBA story being told. His #17 Jersey and shirts skyrocketed in sales prompting the Knicks to gave him the guaranteed purse. But with all the adulation and admiration from NBA fans, there are still some people who insecurely attacked Lin and his rose to stardom. American boxer Flloyd Mayweather said in a statement that raves for Lin has just something to do with him being an Asian. But that’s not surprising because up until now he cannot accept the superiority of another Asian sports superstar Manny Pacquiao. Some articles also from ESPN somehow showed racial slur towards Lin and hid origin.
But in all this Linsanity craze what’s notable about Jeremy Lin is his attitude towards it. He seemed very humble and meek despite his new found stardom. He’s very grounded during his many interviews which maybe comes from his being spiritual.
Linsanity has really made a mark in NBA’s history. And it’s his patience and determination that led him to it. He didn’t loose hope from the time he was un-drafted, but he stayed focus and faithful and continued to work on his skills to become better. And now that he found his way to NBA’s centerstage, basketball will be treated to a new kind of sporting idol noteworthy of recognition not only because of his ethnic origin but because of his skills and contribution to his team.
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“I think everyone wants to credit me for this last seven games, then I definitely deserve this one on my shoulders and so that’s fine with me.” – Jeremy Lin
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After an exciting do or die game 5 today in Oklahoma City, Los Angeles Lakers finally rested its campaign for this year’s NBA crown. The young team of Kevin Durant and Russel Westbrook edged over the experienced Kobe Bryant’s Lakers to win the game and move on to the Western Conference Finals against the waiting San Antonio Spurs.
