I had the chance to watch a lot of NBA Summer League games these past couple of weeks. It was actually quite enjoyable. The games had a nice pick-up element to them, and because some of these were playing for roster spots they actually hustled and played with good energy. It was also a chance to see the young talent that was drafted earlier this summer (e.g. John Wall, Evan Turner, etc.).
One player that seemed to catch fire during the Summer League was Jeremy Lin. For those who didn't follow college basketball in the Ivy League this past year, Lin was a point/shooting guard combo from Harvard University. And yes, if you think his last name sounds Asian, it's because it is Asian. So he's a Asian-American player from Harvard. Reeks of an NBA prospect doesn't he? Well, don't judge this book by its cover. In his senior season playing for the Crimson he averaged a solid 16-4-4 per game. He also shot over 50% from the field. In December, Lin put up a courageous effort against powerhouse UConn, in Connecticut, by throwing up 30 points and 9 rebounds in a close loss.
Sure, you might say, it's just college. And he plays in the Ivy League, not exactly one of the power conferences. And maybe that UConn game was a fluke. Well apparently a lot of the scouts thought so, as he went undrafted. But the Dallas Mavericks, I'm sure at the request of that genius Mark Cuban, decided to put him on their Summer League roster to see what he was made of, and he did not disappoint; playing 18 minutes per game, Lin delivered a 9-2-2 line and, not surprisingly, shot over nearly 52% from the field. But looking beyond the box score, two things stood out.
First, he was a crowd favorite. I am sure it has something to do with his underdog status; he's an Asian from Harvard, and you don't get much of either in the NBA (three players from Harvard in the history of the NBA, and you can count the number of notable Asian players on one hand). But he also plays with some flair and was easily one of the more enjoyable players to watch.
Second, he had a ridiculous showdown with John Wall in the final game of the Summer League. The crowd was rooting for Lin, the announces were rooting for Lin, and I bet you part of every player on that court (minus Wall) wanted to see Lin show up the #1 overall pick. Words can't really do the performance justice, so click here to watch highlights from the showdown in the fourth quarter where, if you had no knowledge of either player's background, you would think Lin was the higher draft pick.
Fortunately for Lin and NBA fans around the country, the Warriors decided to give the guy a chance and signed him to their roster earlier today. If you want more Lin, ESPN recently interviewed him, and you can read the transcript here.
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