Brooklyn Nets: Jeremy Lin Returns to New York
By Jay Siskin
In a news conference at their training center on Wednesday afternoon, the Brooklyn Nets officially introduced six of their newest signings: Jeremy Lin, Anthony Bennett, Trevor Booker, Justin Hamilton, Joe Harris and their first-round pick of the 2016 NBA draft, Caris LeVert. New additions who could not attend were Luis Scola, Greivis Vasquez and Randy Foye.
The media frenzy circled around Jeremy Lin as cameras and microphones surrounded his face while he answered questions about how he was going to save the Nets, if he could bring back the Linsanity hype back to the state New York, and his role and responsibility to the large local Asian community.
It has been four years since Jeremy Lin’s “Linsanity” breakout performance that inspired New Yorkers and Asians around the globe with his standout performances with the New York Knicks when he averaged 24 points, nine assists and four rebounds in a 10-game stretch in February 2012.
Lin spoked about the expectations that will come as a starting point for rebuilding franchise. He said was committed to taking on his added responsibilities. Jeremy Lin averaged 14.6 points with the Knicks in his first full season, but only started 13 games with the Charlotte Hornets last year, averaging 11.7 points and 3.0 assists while playing 78 games.
“I believe in what we’re capable of becoming,” Lin said. The former Laker, Knick, Rocket and Hornet guard also said the Nets get an ambassador.
Jeremy Lin had the perfect quote in regards to the Brooklyn Nets:
"“I was thinking of free agency as like when you invest in a startup company. You don’t necessarily look at the product right then and there. That’s a big part of it, but you’re kind of betting on the founder a lot of times… I feel like that’s kind of how this is. I’m betting on certain people. I’m betting on Kenny [Atkinson]. I’m betting on Sean [Marks], I’m betting on myself, I’m betting on Brook Lopez.”"
The responsibility on this team will fall on Lin and Lopez. Atkinson, who was an assistant under the New York Knicks and Mike D’Antoni, knows he can rely on the former Knick point guard. Lin was on Atkinson’s radar as soon as he took the Nets job.
It’s unfathomable how he was able to compete with top students academically — all while traveling across the country and playing ranked teams at the Division 1 level. His eye-opening play against Connecticut in 2009 solidified his potential for success in the NBA — he almost led an un-ranked Harvard team to defeat the #13 Huskies. In addition, he outplayed one of the top point-guards in the country at the time, Kemba Walker. Jeremy Lin scored 30 points that game while Walker was held to 20. To this day, it makes people wonder how Jeremy Lin went un-drafted.
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He wants to prove he can be a full-time starting point guard again as he was during Linsanity. A motivated Jeremy Lin should excite the city of Brooklyn.