Posted on 07/22/2010 9:28:13 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Jeremy Lin continues to overcome obstacles.
Lin didn’t receive a single Division 1 scholarship offer after leading Palo Alto (Calif.) High to a state championship four years ago, so he leaned toward academics and went to Harvard. After capping four standout seasons for the Crimson with Ivy League MVP honors, Lin went undrafted in June.
Despite those relatively major setbacks, Lin signed a contract with the Golden State Warriors yesterday. And Lin will have plenty of fans pulling for him in Oakland, which is less than 30 miles from Palo Alto.
"I feel like I’ve come full circle,” Lin told the Herald in a phone interview last night from the Bay Area. “I grew up here and now I’m back. All the hard work and all the ups and downs of my college career and of the predraft process and summer league, it makes it all worth it now.”
Though the signings of most undrafted rookie free agents barely register a line on the transactions page, an unusually large media contingent showed up for Lin’s introductory press conference. In an area with a large Asian population, that interest can be at least partly attributed to Lin’s Taiwanese heritage.
“That’s something that I’m going to embrace. They’ve been extremely supportive and it’s been a very special experience,” Lin said of the Asian community. “I’m just very thankful. The support that they’ve given me really is overwhelming.”
Lin, 21, is the first Asian-American signed by the Warriors since 1947 and will be attempting to be just the fourth Asian-American to play in the NBA.
The 6-foot-3 guard boosted his stock tremendously while playing for the Dallas Mavericks’ entry in the Las Vegas summer league this month. It took a meteoric rise last week when Lin more than held his own against No. 1 overall pick John Wall of the Washington Wizards, scoring 13 points - 11 in the fourth quarter.
Lin told the Harvard Crimson that his matchup with Wall “was by far the biggest thing for me” in attracting the attention of personnel directors.
“(I) just thank God,” he said, “for a perfect performance on a perfect night. . . . The timing was unbelievable.”
Lin chose the Warriors after hearing offers from the Lakers and Mavericks. More important than siding with his hometown team, the guard-thin Warriors offer the best opportunity to earn playing time and also made the best contract offer.
Lin signed a two-year contract, with the second year a team option. Nearly half of Lin’s 2010 salary, which will be approximately $500,000, is guaranteed.
In his senior season at Harvard, Lin averaged 16.4 points, 4.5 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game, highlighted by a 30-point, nine-rebound performance vs. UConn. He was one of 20 finalists for the 2010 John R. Wooden Award, given to the national player of the year.
I’m very confident right now in the abilities that God has given me,” Lin told the Herald. “But I understand that I’m far from being where I want to be and I’m far from getting there. This is just the beginning. I have a lot more work to do and that’s very motivating.”
I’m not comfortable with everybody on Earth now getting tall.
I did not give Jeremy Lin much of a chance to make it in the NBA as he is from Harvard, a traditionally poor sports team ( epecially basketball).
What made Lin stand out is two things -— He’s Asian-American ( born and raised in Taiwan ), and he LED Harvard to its best finish ever with his all around play ( scoring, outside shooting, rebounds, assists, steals — he can do it all ).
He was invited to join the Dallas Mavericks Summer League and thus far, as impressed everyone, even at times, outplaying the top pick for this season, John Wall.
He impressed everyone with his basketball savy and maturity that three teams actually expressed interest in signing him — the Mavs, the Lakers and the Warriors.
He eventually signed with the Warriors ( his home team as he is from Palo Alto ).
CLICK ON THIS LINK TO SEE FOOTAGE OF JEREMY LIN IN ACTION ( Against number 1 draft pick, John Wall ):
http://www.nesn.com/2010/07/harvard-star-jeremy-lin-takes-john-wall-to-school-in-summer-league.html
That pass at 0:50 was sick. NBA stuff right there.
I think the Dubs are the perfect team for him. Uptempo, devil-may-care style will offset some of his liabilities.
Missed the point.....complaining about hyphenated American designations, that’s all.
I bet he’s more “American” than most of those ballers.
Corn fed beef! USDA inspected Grade AAA.
I am now a Warriors fan! Finally, someone who got to college on grades, made it through a good college on grades, and makes his teammates better with unselfish fundamental play.
No, while there is a growing international element in the league, most NBA players are as American as you or I.
I am a Knicks fan ( as I live here ). One of my favorite Knick — David Lee (a 20 point, 11 rebound blue collar player) just got traded to the Warriors.
As fate would have it, Lee injured his hand while playing for the US National Basketball Team. Bad Luck !
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.