Eight years have passed, but the magic of “Linsanity” in New York has continued to be a persistent memory for every Knicks fan. Turning an unprecedented Jeremy Lin into an instant overnight legend is perhaps the most celebrated moment at Madison Square Garden in the past decade or so. The fairytale twist lasted for quite a while and an unprecedented trait earned enough to be placed in New York’s virtual Mount Rushmore at its best moments.
Michael Corvo of Clutch Points labeled Lin’s sudden rise in 2012 as one of the five most unforgettable memories in Knicks’ history, describing it as a “worldwide phenomenon” that brought the attention of basketball fans back to New York.
“For any Knicks fan under a certain age, the stretch of February 2012 in which Jeremy Lin took over the team and became a worldwide phenomenon is probably their most cherished memory,” Corvo wrote.
It was as if the stars were aligned for the Asian-American at the time. With an exhausted formation, the Knicks were forced to touch Lin to enter the field. And before everyone knew, he was already destroying all opposition and storming the NBA.
“As the team faced multiple injuries, Mike D’Antoni gave Lin a chance – and took the opportunity like no one would have imagined. Lin lost 25 points in his first start against goals, then averaged 23.8 points and 9.4 assists in the next 10 contests, of which the Knicks won eight.
“Lin’s meteoric rise reached a climax with his Valentine game he won three times over the Toronto Raptors – two days after burning Kobe Bryant and Los Angeles Lakers for 38 points on national television.”
Lin made a splash from the celebrity summit and has now settled for a professional career outside of the NBA. But the one-time champion continues to demonstrate that he still has much to prove.