On Feb. 4, 2012, Jeremy Lin entered the Knicks rotation and created a phenomenon no one could have predicted. Just over one year later, and one decision to sign a three-year, $25 million contract with the Rockets, the 24-year-old guard is still amazed by all that happened, and how much has happened since Linsanity was born.
“It seems like a really long time ago. It was definitely a whirlwind,” Lin told the Houston Chronicle. “I definitely enjoyed it. I definitely learned and grew a lot as a person. I got exposed to a lot more than I’ll probably be exposed to the rest of my life as far as how fast everything happens.”
The Harvard graduate wasn’t even aware it had been a full year since his life changed forever.
“Yesterday, everyone was like ‘oh, congrats, it’s been one year,’ “ Lin said. “I didn’t even realize it until I got a text. It’s crazy. God’s been really good to me. It’s only been one year. It seemed like so long ago. People would tweet it and stuff like that. It was cool, really cool.”
With the Knicks dealing with injuries last season, including Carmelo Anthony, then-coach Mike D’Antoni found an unlikely spark in the second-year guard. After scoring 25 points in a win over the Nets on Feb. 4, Lin led the Knicks to seven straight wins and started 25 games until a knee injury caused him to miss the end of the regular season and the playoffs. The Knicks then opted not to match Lin’s offer sheet with the Rockets, and signed Raymond Felton instead.
An unlikely star, having gone undrafted in 2010 and released by the Warriors and Rockets, Lin said that even though he became an international celebrity, he will always remember how hard the journey was and how hard it can still be.
“I think for me, every time I think back I’m thankful because I still remember like yesterday what it was like to be fighting for my spot and coming to work every day unsure if it would be my last,” Lin said. “I’m just trying to stay thankful and grateful and keep that memory of where I used to be fresh in my mind so I don’t take things for granted.”