OFFICIAL - Jeremy Lin "LINSANITY" Thread

[DocZaius]

Shump is good off the bench and I don't think he can complain about it considering how badly banged up he is.

[Luv those Knicks]

Lack of competition in college, despite being the biggest known sleeper.
Lack of any physical tools. Not exactly athletic, doesn't have quickness.
Lack of shot for the most part.
Bouncing from team to team.

Things he had going for him:
IQ/Relentlessness/Passion for the game.

Lin is that type of dude who gets picked on and stands up to the bully and earns his respect. You can see it now, remember just a few weeks ago where he was fouling guys left and right? He would have 3 fouls in like 4 minutes? Remember him trying to bring the ball up, get pressed and turn it over? He obviously adjusted because look at him now.

I doubt anyone of us expected this, but we knew that he had to be better than the way Douglas was playing. Lin is getting bye right now with his head and heart, hard to not root for that.

seems pretty athletic and quick to me

I think, in terms of speed drills - you know, pre-draft workout stuff, he's not that quick. The kind of stuff Nate Robinson excels at. But Jeremy's got a quick first step, which helps him with drives and with steals. The first step, isn't measured in NBA-pre-draft workouts.

I think anther thing Lin does well is he's always thinking out there. He attacks the weak point of the D. He's not the type to try to run his set play into a crowd, the way a lot of NBA players do.

[dantian]

Lin got the Chinese modesty and humbleness.

[Luv those Knicks]

Lin made a mistake choosing Golden State after he was having a nice summer league run with the Mavs. Had he stayed with Mavs Carlisle would have made him better instead he got burried in Golden State. He could have learned from Kidd and competed against Barea and Beaubois. He wasted two years this way, Mavs did believe in him.

+1000. Lin and his agent took the guaranteed contract his home town Warriors offered instead of looking long term at career development.

If GS offered him guaranteed 1 year deal and Dallas didn't - I find that hard to fault him over making that call.

[DocZaius]

Lets not forget how well Lin uses the pick in a pick and roll.

He often renders PNR defense worthless by making them run into each other.

This requires precise timing and positioning, only made possible with quickness combined with decisive manuevers.

[MaseInYourFace]

I didnt know he was so crafty and such a good finisher.

[hebrewhammer]

1) He's Chinese. that's why he didn't get a D1 offer despite being California division player of the year and didn't even get sniff in the NBA until he schooled John Wall despite a sterling NCAA career. Main reason. Real talk.

2) Many players get overlooked... system isn't perfect regardless of race. Most players aren't dealing with #1 so Lin had it harder but lots of players have it hard. Also a major reason.

3) The situation with GS and Hou were mainly salary issues. If things had worked differently Lin might have stuck in either city. Of course GS never gave him a shot at PT last year and likely would be the same this year under butt-head and all-time **** announcer Mark Jackson.

IMO those are the real 3 reasons, all legit. But if I'm being honest is the lesson you can learn from how Jeremy handled those 3 impediments. In my experience with Asian culture, they don't sit around bitching and moaning about what's holding them back... in fact a lot of them even deny clear racism in order to motivate themselves. Jeremy wasn't crying on sportscenter about how Asian athletes are being held back (cough cough black quarterbacks). he's outworking dudes and staying positive to get over the hump even in unfair situations.

[Guy986]

Houston really liked Jeremy Lin. But with 3 PG already on the roster they had to cut the only non guarenteed contract on the roster. He played really really well in limited time during the preseason.

[Clyde_Style]

I don't know why someone who is Asian would have a rep of lacking in athletic ability when martial arts training that has a home in nearly every Asian culture is about as much about athletic ability and body control than just about any sport in the world. Maybe they aren't as practiced in basketball as a foreign culture but Lin is American born and raised so his culture is American first and foremost and his Asian part is genes, it's not his upbringing, he's not foreign. He's got that American swag!

You can say their body type as Asians generally isn't built for basketball but Lin is 6-3.5 and that's perfect height for a PG. He may not have a great shooting stroke coming out of college but how many other players don't have one either but get drafted anyway. Sure he came from a college of little acclaim but he did produce himself in an epic way that I see so many people seem to feel is important for a player to have done and succeed at the next level.

It just makes no sense why he didn't get the chance at all. It's not like it's been years and years that it took him to develop. It's been just about 18 months since the draft that he was passed up in so really how much could he have improved in a year and a half? Undoubtedly he did learn some but was it in leaps and bounds for him to perform like he has and not show a glimpse of it at all or enough for a team to want to hold on to him and let him develop?

Even our coach didn't see it until he got hit in the head with it by accident. The coach basically had to have no other option and out of desperation try the kid. He's going to have bad games and at times he's going to look very inexperienced. Although in a few years who knows how much more he can develop. Look how long it took Nash to mature into what he became.

I guess you could say it is 'racism' that is why people overlooked him. He doesn't 'look' like a basketball player so he didn't get the respect his skills deserved. Thankfully for it though because it is why he wound up on the Knicks. He wound up in NY, the melting pot, the city that doesn't judge you on what you look like but on what you do. He's NY personified.

I see we have a hardcore Lin supporter in the making.

[lazyskillz]

JLin is Jason Kidd 1.5 (not as good as 2.0).

They're similiar

- height and weight
- great floor vision
- ability to get into the paint
- fill up the stat sheet with points, rebs, asts, stls, blks and turnovers.
- great defensive awareness
- poor shooters (though Kidd improved a lot as career progressed)

Kidd is more talented/athletic and savvy. I love JLin but I don't see him having a Hall of Fame career.

No.

That was deep NYCrusader. Good contribution!

[Knicks80_20]

I see we have a hardcore Lin supporter in the making.

We'll see more real soon. This guy is going to SAVE our team.

[Clyde_Style]

I didnt know he was so crafty and such a good finisher.

Get on board. There's room for one more.

[jwise44]

Too drunk/lazy to read all responses. Houston had to cut him and couldn't cut Flynn.

I'm glad hes doing well. Especially with my second favorite team. I hope he keeps itup. Even if it messes up our pick from y'all somewhat. It pains me cuz I want a good pick but I loved/love watching y'all play well since I was real young

[Luv those Knicks]

The only player in history to win California state player of the year and didn't get a college scholarship.

The only player in history to be a finalist for the NCAA Bob Cousy and didn't get drafted.

People see him play and they can see he gets his job done, but they have this thing in the back of their head that tells them "this kid is Asian.. he looks soft... he's too pale" lol...

With all due respect, if he was 6'7 and asian, he'd have been drafted. if he was 6'3 and had one of the top sprint speeds, he'd have been drafted. If he had a bulls-eye 3 pt shot and he was asian, he'd have been drafted.


Try to imagine a 6'3 BLACK combo guard with shorter than average arms for the NBA, less sprint speed than the average NBA PG, not a good enough shot for a SG, but he played SG / backed up PG in college. Now imagine that guy was impressive at a good (but not elite) college team. - would you draft him?

Teams look for an edge - they look for the guy who's the longest, who's the fastest, who's got the 3 pt shot. Team's don't look for the undersized combo guard who has to convert to fulltime PG who isn't an elite athlete and doesn't have a great shot. - he's maybe a guy you draft in the 50s. Doesn't matter what color his skin is.

. . .

so, I'm just saying, it's possible that Lin wasn't snubbed due to racism. It's just as likely, maybe more likely that he was snubbed cause scouts look at skillset over overall-game. It's possible they saw Lin as a college player who didn't have the tools for the NBA.

Not saying Racism didn't play a role either, but I feel it's worth pointing out that scouts look for skillsets when they draft players. I've never heard the line before "he doesn't look as good in practice as he looks in the game", but, that might be a line scouts start to pay attention to if Lin stays this good.

[lazyskillz]

Lin made a mistake choosing Golden State after he was having a nice summer league run with the Mavs. Had he stayed with Mavs Carlisle would have made him better instead he got burried in Golden State. He could have learned from Kidd and competed against Barea and Beaubois. He wasted two years this way, Mavs did believe in him.

+1000. Lin and his agent took the guaranteed contract his home town Warriors offered instead of looking long term at career development.

If GS offered him guaranteed 1 year deal and Dallas didn't - I find that hard to fault him over making that call.

His family isn't hurting for money. He missed a championship run in Dallas last year and a chance to learn from Jason Kidd. Instead in GS, he was in Keith Smart's doghouse and Monte Ellis' whipping boy.

[dantian]

Lets not forget how well Lin uses the pick in a pick and roll.

He often renders PNR defense worthless by making them run into each other.

This requires precise timing and positioning, only made possible with quickness combined with decisive manuevers.

Very astute observation! Lin doesn't look particularly quick but he is always on the right spot in a timely manner. Some say Deron was tired in his 4th game in 5 nights, but Lin shut down a fresh Harris who is a really good and dynamic PG. He forced Harris to give up the ball several times with his defensive positioning that made Harris uncomfortable shooting or driving. On offense, he seems withhold his speed a bit so that he always has some slack room in space and time to react to defenders' moves and take advantage of it. It's rare quality even among PGs!

[Bigdog1]

this NYC to jack jay-z lyrics- if you can make it here you can make it anywhere!!!

lin couldn't ask for a better city to play in...just play your heart out like the last 2 games and new york fan base will take care of the rest.

[Luv those Knicks]

Lin made a mistake choosing Golden State after he was having a nice summer league run with the Mavs. Had he stayed with Mavs Carlisle would have made him better instead he got burried in Golden State. He could have learned from Kidd and competed against Barea and Beaubois. He wasted two years this way, Mavs did believe in him.

+1000. Lin and his agent took the guaranteed contract his home town Warriors offered instead of looking long term at career development.

If GS offered him guaranteed 1 year deal and Dallas didn't - I find that hard to fault him over making that call.

His family isn't hurting for money. He missed a championship run in Dallas last year and a chance to learn from Jason Kidd. Instead in GS, he was in Keith Smart's doghouse and Monte Ellis' whipping boy.

It's still hard to pass up a guaranteed deal. Even if you don't need the money.

I don't disagree with what you and Captain wrote, but I'm just saying, I would have a very hard time passing up the guaranteed 1 year deal for an unguaranteed whatever Dallas was offering.

Now if both teams offered him teh same deal - that's different. Then he has a choice between home turf vs. better situation. That in itself is a little bit of a touch choice too, though I think in that case, I'd pick situation.

But if only one team offered him guaranteed money - that's a tough thing to say no to.

[TKF]

I don't know why someone who is Asian would have a rep of lacking in athletic ability when martial arts training that has a home in nearly every Asian culture is about as much about athletic ability and body control than just about any sport in the world. Maybe they aren't as practiced in basketball as a foreign culture but Lin is American born and raised so his culture is American first and foremost and his Asian part is genes, it's not his upbringing, he's not foreign. He's got that American swag!

You can say their body type as Asians generally isn't built for basketball but Lin is 6-3.5 and that's perfect height for a PG. He may not have a great shooting stroke coming out of college but how many other players don't have one either but get drafted anyway. Sure he came from a college of little acclaim but he did produce himself in an epic way that I see so many people seem to feel is important for a player to have done and succeed at the next level.

It just makes no sense why he didn't get the chance at all. It's not like it's been years and years that it took him to develop. It's been just about 18 months since the draft that he was passed up in so really how much could he have improved in a year and a half? Undoubtedly he did learn some but was it in leaps and bounds for him to perform like he has and not show a glimpse of it at all or enough for a team to want to hold on to him and let him develop?

Even our coach didn't see it until he got hit in the head with it by accident. The coach basically had to have no other option and out of desperation try the kid. He's going to have bad games and at times he's going to look very inexperienced. Although in a few years who knows how much more he can develop. Look how long it took Nash to mature into what he became.

I guess you could say it is 'racism' that is why people overlooked him. He doesn't 'look' like a basketball player so he didn't get the respect his skills deserved. Thankfully for it though because it is why he wound up on the Knicks. He wound up in NY, the melting pot, the city that doesn't judge you on what you look like but on what you do. He's NY personified.

I think it has a lot to do with asian players. I guess people have a hard time seeing them as good or even great players. As great as yao ming was, many people would always find ways to mitigate his game. He never seemed to be mentioned among the star players even though he put up some star numbers...

[NOODLESTYLE]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNDTjqVLVEQ[/youtube]

Mods, please merge this with another thread if you think a new one is not needed.