The Jeremy LINeage

Just as The Back Page wrote last week, Jeremy Lin ’10 is quickly jumping up the list of Harvard’s most notable alumni. But, just as every media outlet reminds its audience, the path hasn’t always been easy for Lin. Therefore, we at TBP had the idea to make Lin’s journey from Crimson bench player to the next NBA human-highlight reel as accessible as possible. So here it is, a Lineage of the point guard’s road from number four to number 17, resident of Harvard Yard to owner of a Trump Tower apartment.

Lin’s Game-Winner over William and Mary

Lin’s falling-back, thirty-feet-from-the-basket buzzer-beater lifted the Crimson, in its first home game of the season, to a triple overtime win. The play earned the sixth spot on Sportscenter’s Top 10 Plays. Foreshadowing of his current reign in Sportscenter’s top plays? Perhaps.

Scouted

Lin was given the opportunity to play at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament just weeks after his senior season ended. The tournament was for those prospective NBA players who would be picked, if at all, in the second and final round of the draft. The invitation to play at Portsmouth was considered an honor, as only 64 players are selected each year.

The Waiting Game

In preparation for the draft, Lin worked out with eight teams. Interestingly, one of those teams was the New York Knicks. After these workouts, it was just a matter of waiting to see whether or not NBA commissioner David Stern would call out his name, signaling his welcome into the league.

The Result…

…was not a good one for the point guard. Lin had his NBA dreams put on hold, as he was not called up to the podium to shake hands with Stern. Luckily, though, un-drafted prospects are still allowed to play in the NBA Summer League.

Some Texan Interest and a Wall to Knock Down

After striking out at the draft, summer league interest proved much more conducive to Lin. Soon, the Dallas Mavericks picked him up to play for their summer team—and play he did. Against the top pick of the draft, the Washington Wizards’ John Wall, Lin shocked all in attendance as he dominated for much of the second half, scoring 11 just in the fourth quarter. Impressed? We were too.

He Made It

During his time in the summer league, Lin caught the Golden State Warriors’ eyes and earned himself a spot on the roster. Lin would be the first Crimson player since 1953-54 to play in the NBA, and the first former Ivy-leaguer since 2002-03. In his time with the Warriors, Lin averaged only 2.6 points per game. Nevertheless, he quickly became a fan favorite.