{"id":1638,"date":"2012-02-14T14:56:15","date_gmt":"2012-02-14T19:56:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/heroes\/?p=1638"},"modified":"2012-02-23T15:12:27","modified_gmt":"2012-02-23T20:12:27","slug":"jeremy-lin-the-hero-who-came-out-of-nowhere","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/heroes\/2012\/02\/14\/jeremy-lin-the-hero-who-came-out-of-nowhere\/","title":{"rendered":"Jeremy Lin: The Hero Who Came Out of Nowhere"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>By Scott T. Allison and George R. Goethals<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are times when real-life hero stories are so unlikely, and so inspiring, that they have the appearance of a fairy tale.\u00a0 The story of New York Knick basketball player Jeremy Lin is one such tale.<\/p>\n

Lin played college basketball at Harvard, a school known far more for its academics than for its athletics.\u00a0 Lin was a star player at Harvard, but when he graduated in 2010, there were no professional basketball teams in the NBA interested in him. \u00a0He was judged to be a marginally skilled player who lacked athleticism.<\/p>\n

Eventually the Golden State Warriors decided to take a chance with Lin, but they gave him little playing time and eventually cut him from the team.\u00a0 The Houston Rockets then did the same.\u00a0 Lin\u2019s basketball future looked bleak.<\/p>\n

But Lin never abandoned his dream to play professionally.\u00a0 \"\"<\/a>He began this current basketball season languishing at the end of the New York Knicks\u2019 bench, still waiting for his chance.\u00a0 There appeared to be little hope that Lin would ever be able to prove himself on the basketball court.<\/p>\n

At this point, the magical part of the fairy tale kicks in.\u00a0 On February 5, 2012, with the Knicks struggling to win games, coach Mike D\u2019Antoni took a chance and decided to bring Lin into a game against the New Jersey Nets. \u00a0\u00a0Lin proceeded to dazzle everyone by scoring 25 points and handing out 7 assists, leading the Knicks to victory.\u00a0 His performance stunned everybody.<\/p>\n

Was it a fluke?\u00a0 There was only one way to find out.\u00a0 Coach D\u2019Antoni allowed Lin to start the next game against the Utah Jazz.\u00a0 This time Lin scored 28 points and dished out 8 assists, again leading the Knicks to victory.\u00a0 Next came the Washington Wizards.\u00a0 The Knicks won again with Lin scoring 23 points and getting a career-high 10 assists.\u00a0 Against the Los Angeles Lakers, Lin poured in 38 points and had 7 assists.\u00a0 He out-played the Lakers\u2019 future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant, who muttered, \u201cPlayers don\u2019t come out of nowhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his first four games as a starter, Lin scored more points (109) than any player in NBA history. \u00a0\u00a0That includes legends such as Michael Jordan and LeBron James.\u00a0 \u201cI have never seen this,\u201d said Knicks coach D\u2019Antoni. \u201cWhat he\u2019s doing is amazing.\u201d\u00a0 Lin is the first New York-based team athlete to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated<\/em> two weeks in a row since the magazine started in 1954.\u00a0 \"\"<\/a>Lin\u2019s stunning rise to stardom has captivated New York Kick fans, who erupt into a Beatlemania-like frenzy whenever Lin touches the ball. \u00a0The phenomenon has been called Linsanity<\/em>.<\/p>\n

As if Lin\u2019s storybook rise to fame isn\u2019t enough, he has also shown remarkable humility and generosity off the basketball court.\u00a0 When interviewed, Lin comes across as genuinely gracious, modest, and grateful for the opportunities given him.\u00a0 He always gives credit to his teammates first.\u00a0 One day he wants to become a pastor devoted to helping others and establishing non-profit organizations to assist those less fortunate than him.\u00a0 Lin also plans to work in inner-city communities to help underprivileged children.<\/p>\n

Every once in a while, a hero appears out of nowhere to accomplish goals that no one could ever have anticipated.\u00a0 The story has a powerful, almost archetypal quality to it.\u00a0 It reminds us of fables and childhood tales that mesmerize us at a young age.\u00a0 No one expects Cinderella to become a princess or the ugly duckling to grow into a majestic swan.\u00a0 These stories inspire and move us because they are so very rare and have such a great emotional payoff.\u00a0 And when they do occur, as with Jeremy Lin, our views about the promise and hope of humankind are rekindled.<\/p>\n

Below is clip showing some highlights of Jeremy Lin leading the Knicks to victory over the Lakers.<\/p>\n