“LinSanity” is the most
surprising and, probably, even the best story in the NBA this season. Game after game, he proves that the hype is
real. Game after game, more and more
notice and become believers of LinSanity (in my case, it took me till that game
with the Lakers to be convinced this Lin is special). Sure, 6 games is still a small sample size,
but, nonetheless those 6 games weren’t insignificant at all. Prior to the explosion of Linsanity, the New
York Knicks were struggling badly (had a record of 8-15) as their stars Carmelo
Anthony and Amare Stoudemire were sidelined because of injuries. Now thanks to this 6’3 American-Taiwanese point
guard who was nearly at the point of being cut by the team before becoming an
overnight sensation, new life is breathed to these Knicks, as they won those 6
games thanks to Lin.
Lin’s meteoric rise is
fascinating. After playing for and
graduating from Harvard University, Jeremy Lin entered the 2010 draft but was
ignored and left undrafted. However, the
Dallas Mavericks – the eventual champions that incoming season – offered him to
participate in their mini-camp and to play for their NBA Summer League team. Lin got noticed during the Summer League when
during a game against the draft’s first pick John Wall, he outplayed and stole
the cheers from him. Afterwards, teams
offered to sign him (including my beloved Lakers) and he chose to join the
Golden State Warriors – his favorite team to watch while growing up. Lin would experience getting assigned to the
D-League three times during his rookie season, but would be recalled by the
Warriors each time.
During the first day of training
camp for the current season, Lin was waived by the Warriors. The Houston Rockets would pick him up but
would waive him before the start of the season.
It was the New York Knicks that would pick him up next.
Lin – being a third-string point
guard – would once again be assigned to the D-League by the Knicks. During that season, the Knicks were actually considering
releasing Lin before his contract become guaranteed so they can make room for a
new player. But fate has other
plans. Lin would be given a chance to
play by coach Mike D’Antoni. On a game
against New Jersey, teammate Carmelo Anthony (who was and still currently
sidelined due to injury) suggested to D’Antoni during the half time to give
more minutes to Lin. Lin had 25 points,
five rebounds, and seven assists – all career highs at that point – in that
game as the Knicks won the game. Prior
to that game, Lin only played a total of 55 minutes through the Knicks’ first
23 games. In the next game, which was
against the Utah Jazz, Lin had his first career start and would finish with 28
points and eight assists and a win. Then
in the Knicks’ next game, with the Washington Wizards, Lin had his first
double-double of 23 points and 10 assists.
Leading the Knicks to a 3 game
winning streak, Lin would face his greatest challenge against my favorite Kobe
and the Lakers. And in that game, it
made me believe that the hype is real (and made me annoyed that the Lakers weren’t
aggressive enough to recruit him when they had the chance). Kobe, who is known to perform some of his
best stuff in the big stage of Madison Square Garden (remember the 61 points a
few season back?), was set on dismissing the rising legend of Lin as a mere
myth. Kobe intended to make Lin bow down
to basketball royalty. But Lin was never
intimidated, he never backed down. He
rose to the challenge on clashing with a basketball god.
And he was victorious. Jeremy Lin outplayed Kobe (who had 34 points)
and demolished the Lakers with 38 points, seven assists, four rebounds, and two
steals. Prior the game, Kobe was a bemused
unbeliever. During the game, Kobe would
finally acknowledge Lin as a worthy challenge when he started guarding
him.
Afterwards, stubborn as Kobe may
be, he does give props when it is due, and acknowledged that Lin is no fluke. “Players don’t come out of nowhere,” Kobe
said. The Black Mamba would go on
complimenting him and showing his brand of respect by recognizing Lin as someone
worth seeking revenge on. “Enjoy
it. They’ll receive judgment next year,”
he said, obviously looking forward for the next duel.
Lin’s legend continues after
it. He had 20 points and 8 assists over the
Minnesota Timberwolves, as he made a game-winning free throw that lifted the
Knicks. Lin would be named Eastern
Conference Player of the Week. And a
game after earning that honor, he had 27 points and 11 assists and made the
gamewinning threepointer against the Toronto Raptors. LinSanity fever gets hotter and hotter.
Being an underdog and a nobody who
became successful through hard work, he is a hero, model and inspiration for
everybody (especially to Asians). As
Kobe Bryant pointed out, “A great story.
It’s a testament to perseverance and hard work. A good example for kids
everywhere.”
But more than that, there is one
thing about Jeremy Lin that makes him really special (and once I learned of it,
it made me to finally root for him). He
is a Christian.
Thanks to a video of his
testimony that is getting viral around Christian circles, we learn of Lin’s
motivation and attitude towards the game.
The highlight of that testimony is when he quoted John Piper’s book “Don’t
Waste Your Life”:
“God created us to live with a single passion to joyfully display his supreme excellence in all the spheres of life.”
Lin would elaborate:
“When Paul wrote in Philippians to press on for an upward prize, he was living for that, and it made his life meaningful (Philippians 3:15). And I realized I had to learn to do the same. I had to learn to stop chasing the perishable prizes of this earth, I had to stop chasing personal glory, I had to learn how to give my best effort to God and trust him with the results. I have to learn to have enough faith to trust in his grace and to trust in his sovereign and perfect plan. I had to submit my will, my desires, my dreams — give it all up to God and say, ‘Look, I am going to give my best effort, go on the court and play every day for you, and I'm going to let you take care of the rest.’ This is something I struggle with every day. Playing for great stats is nice, but that satisfaction — that happiness — is only from game to game. It's temporary.”
For me, the perfect NBA player would be something of a combination of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Jeremy Lin. LeBron has the raw talent, athleticism, and
physique that allowed him to overwhelm opponents by those alone. Kobe has the obsessive competitive fire,
mental and physical toughness, and the rich skill-set. Lin has the strongest motivation to give his
all in everything (better than Kobe’s competitive fire) since he is doing those
things for God. Mix them all together
and that would be lethal. Still, these three types of players standing alone, Jeremy Lin would be still my pick, not necessarily as
the best player, but as the player that knows the best way of playing the
game. Jeremy Lin isn’t pouring out this much effort in his game because he wants personal glory. No, he is pouring out his best because he wants to glorify God. “Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God” is a cliché in a Christian. And Lin is living it out. He is seeking his joy in God – a joy that is eternal and complete.
Now, God is blessing Lin for putting Him first in his life.
Now, God is blessing Lin for putting Him first in his life.
A
Christian, because his life is dedicated to God, then even his life activities
are dedicated to God – there are no longer activities that are trivial or
without eternal significance. Again, as
what Piper has worded perfectly, “God created us to live with a single passion
to joyfully display his supreme excellence in all the spheres of life.” Yes, even in the hardcourt, God’s excellence should
be displayed.
If indeed God will be glorified
most through this, then surely, Lin’s legend would continue to rise. I pray that Lin would continue to play
basketball for God’s glory and that he wouldn’t lose his focus on why or for Whom
he’s playing. I pray he will be able to
fight off the temptations that go with such lifestyle of being on top. I pray he’ll be a greater role model and
testimony than David Robinson (who was a prominent Christian NBA player) and
enjoy greater honors than what David had in his career. I pray he’ll even be a bigger star than LeBron or
my favorite Kobe. All for the glory of
God.
(Also, I pray he'll become a Laker next season... please, Lord? ^__^)
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