What a story…this Jeremy Lin

If you’re a sports fan, it’s safe to say you’ve heard some of the Jeremy Lin hype. It’s all over the place – ESPN, YouTube and twitter.

Lin, just 23, is the first Asian-American ever to play in the NBA. It gets better.

A Harvard graduate, Lin had no scholarships out of high school. He went undrafted in 2010. He was cut by the Warriors on the first day of training camp this season. After a few games in the NBADL, the Knicks called him up and gave him extensive minutes at point guard.

The rest is history, and maybe a movie in the making.

What I like most about Lin is his perseverance and passion on the big stage. He has overcome a lot, probably been told he’s not good enough and surprised everyone.

Jeremy Lin emerged a week ago in a game against New Jersey, finishing with 25 points, five rebounds and seven assists. A coming out party, if you will. He since has scored 28, 23 and on Friday, 38 points against the Los Angeles Lakers on national television.

Lin’s story is a great example of why sports so special. They are the best reality shows out there. Games are completely unscripted and each one is unpredictable.

Against the Lakers, Madison Square Garden didn’t have an empty seat and felt like a playoff game.

He’s a dream come true for the Knicks. And the NBA.

After all the momentum the league built up last season, it lost some during the lockout. Lin is recapturing the audience and also getting new viewers to tune in.

So how unknown was he…well I went to google images and only 2 of the first 17 results were in a NBA uniform, a Denver uniform. As of a week ago, I had no idea who he was. Not many people did, even sports fans.

He has been great for the box office, gift shop and television ratings. At the Knicks official store, every Lin-related item is gone. Secondary Knicks tickets have gone up and those with tickets are making sure they attend.

He’s now the talent fans are coming to see. Without Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire, Lin has produced on the court and led the Knicks to four straight wins.

Too many times, professional athletes headline sports shows and websites for doing wrong. This is a feel-good story and one that I hope continues.

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