Post#192 » by GettinitDone » Mon Jul 30, 2012 1:18 pm
Lin haters like to point he only averaged 14.6ppg and 6.2apg completely saying he's not worth the money and Felton is better, COMPLETELY disregarding:
- Those averages of 14.6ppg and 6.2apg are averages counting the first 9 garbage-minute games before his Nets break out game.
- He was basically only a ROOKIE. The true PG All-Stars Deron Williams/ Rajon Rondo were role players in their rookie years. Did Jazz and Celtics say, "hmmmm Deron only averaged 10.8ppg & 4.5apg, this IS who he's going to be the rest of his career, let's get rid of him and get Hinrich he's more proven than Deron!!! Hmmmm Rondo averaged only 6.4ppg, 3.8apg, what a waste of pick... gotta shop for a better PG!" No. No. No. Steve Nash was a sorry-ass player in his first 4 years in the L. Kobe Bryant, averaged only 7.6ppg and shot airballs in clutch. Lin? 8 pts against Heat??? That's who he is the rest of his career!!! Felton is better!!! Completely disregarding the clutch games vs. Wolves, Raptors, Lakers, Mavs, Pacers, Sixers and other countless in-game clutch shots that extended lead vs. Nets, Jazz.
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It's true you cannot predict a player's future based on his talent alone. Kwame Brown once had 30pts & 19rebounds. How come so many players with so much talent just turn out to be busts? I believe there are many factors that determine their success have EVERYthing to do with their character:
1.) How they handle failure, e.g. handling turnovers, handling making mistakes, handling being made fun of sometimes, handling missing shots, handling "letting team/ teammates down",
2.) How they handle success, e.g. if you think it's fun to have millions of fans, it may be for a few days, after that, it gets really heavy as you have to continually meet/ exceed their expectations or risk "letting them down". How they handle media, which they have to face almost EVERYday... again, the first few days may sound fun, but after few days it gets tiring real quick. If a player says a wrong thing JUST ONE TIME it can affect how he's perceived by the world and could cause their downfall, e.g. Josh Howard and Star Spangle comment... Was an all star, was considered untouchable along with Dirk by Mavs, fell off, and traded after that season. Do they overcelebrate after a (few) good game(s)...? Overpartying, then comes women, alcohols, drugs maybe that are sure going to distract their focus, and play on floor?
3.) How they interact with teammates, e.g. if you are disliked by 1-2 teammates, it may not be a big deal, but what if you're disliked by whole team/ organization?? It sure is not going to make your road to success smoother
4.) If they can handle failure, and they can handle success, and they are generally liked by teammates/ organization, the last hurdle is their work ethic. Players with talent without work ethic don't get too far. Players with talent with work ethic become special.
I believe players like Kwame Brown, Eddy Curry, Flip Murray, who for at least once showed promise just failed to live up to their talent simply because they can't handle failure/ they can't handle success, they have dramas with teammates, or they just don't have work ethic that prolonged their NBA success.
Lin is fail-proof when it comes to these
1.) He can handle failure: he committed tons of turnovers yet still demanded for ball and delivered in clutch. He missed long shots, but kept taking shots and made a few more clutch ones. He got knocked down but he kept coming to the paint for more.
2.) He can handle success: Linsanity in New York while whole world watching? Nuff said. 38pts on Lakers with Linsanity at its height? Front page news before game. Pressure? 28 and 14 against then-defending champs Mavs who had won 9 straight games.
He doesn't overparty because he doesn't even party, he sure doesn't use drugs, he sure doesn't get around women. How do I know? I know because I bet he must be in his gym and (though I'm not Christian) he's religious and it helps. The gym and his religion are his escape when so many other talented players fall into the same trap. While Lin is able to maintain his focus/ goals, the players who can't wait for games to be over so they can go to night parties/ clubs to be with their entourage are the ones who make "pleasure" their priority and the basketball game secondary... e.g. Eddy Curry. Lin is far from this... he's a gym rat, he's good, he's SAFE.
3.) Lin is well liked by teammates because, for one, his style of game focuses on ball movement that involve everyone on the floor. Second, he is religious, so he doesn't have personal agendas and has said to have a built-in purpose of "serving" his teammates.
4.) Last hurdle: work ethic is his strongest point. He's a gym rat. Nuff said.
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While so many talented players face many obstacles, I believe Lin has cleared ALL of these hurdles. There is however still ONE obstacles in his path he cannot control, which all players/ athletes face: INJURIES.
I believe only INJURIES can prevent Lin from reaching superstar status. In perfect world without injuries, if he was a stock, I would buy, he is a no-brainer, sure-fire, guaranteed success.
