Jeremy Lin has finally found a team. Sadly, for NBA fans, it is with the Beijing Ducks. With this in mind, we will most likely not see Lin come next season or even ever again in the league. As sad as him leaving is, Lin still had some great moments during his NBA career. After all, he was the one who gave birth to the period of “Linsanity.” Without further adieu, let’s go ahead and delve into the career of the journeyman and discuss the rise and fall of Linsanity.
The Story of Jeremy Lin and Linsanity
Jeremy Lin: The Beginning of his Career
The Harvard prospect came into the league as an undrafted rookie. It was a massive struggle for Lin to get his feet under him in the competitive landscape of the NBA at first. Eventually, the Golden State Warriors took a chance on him in the 2010-11 season. The first season had him earn more than half of what was guaranteed in his contract. A total of around $500,000 to be exact.
Due to the Warriors possessing the likes of Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis at the time, Lin rarely got playing time which was not in the Warriors D-League. During his rookie season, he only played 29 games and had totals of 2.6 points per game, 1.4 assists per game, and a field goal percentage of 38.9 percent from the field. However, big changes were on the horizon for Jeremy Lin.
The Rise and Fall of Linsanity
After being claimed off of waivers and hopping around from team to team after the lock-out season, he was eventually claimed by the New York Knicks. This was just the beginning though. During a loss to the Boston Celtics in that February, then head coach, Mike D’Antoni gave Lin a chance out of “desperation.” The next night, Lin faced off against Deron Williams and the Brooklyn Nets. This was just the beginning of Linsanity. Contrary to popular belief, then teammate Carmelo Anthony suggested that Lin actually play more in the second half. What followed was games where he posted 28 points and eight assists, 23 points and 10 assists, 38 points and seven assists, and then 34 points. Last, but not least, Lin also had a game-winning three-point shot against the Toronto Raptors.
He would continue this great play until the Knicks replaced Mike D’Antoni with Mike Woodson. Unfortunately, Linsanity was coming to an end. Lin would be packing his bags again. He signed with the Houston Rockets for the 2012-13 season. In the two years he played with the Rockets, he would average 13 points per game, 5.2 assists per game, and a field goal percentage of 44.3 percent. Decent numbers as a role player, but not the star numbers Linsanity had put up during the impressive stretch in New York. Sadly for Lin, he would go on to become a decent role player for the rest of his career, but not quite an All-Star caliber player. However, things were bright at the end of the tunnel.
Jeremy Lin’s Championship Season with the Toronto Raptors
After a few more stops in the NBA, Lin was eventually traded to the Toronto Raptors from the Atlanta Hawks in the 2018-19 season. He then proceeded to have a limited role on the squad considering the up and coming Fred VanVleet was the back-up point guard to All-Star, Kyle Lowry. However, he still contributed considering he only played 23 regular season games.
In that time, Lin tallied seven points per game, 2.2 assists per game, and an assist percentage of 15.7 percent. All the turmoil he had endured during his time in the league would finally pay off though. The Toronto Raptors would eventually go on to dethrone the Golden State Warriors in six games led by the efforts of Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam, Marc Gasol, and Kyle Lowry. As a result, Jeremy Lin was finally an NBA champion.
What’s Next for Jeremy Lin?
We may have seen the last of Linsanity in the NBA, but he is far from done with basketball in general. After all, the Beijing Ducks are taking a chance on him. He is still relatively young and can be a solid contributor in the right situation. Lin certainly had his ups and downs, but in the end, it paid off with an NBA title. Whether or not this is the end of his NBA journey though, we just have on thing to say. Thank you Linsanity!
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