Jeremy Lin #7

After the final buzzer rang out into the packed arena, this short once forgettable kid not much older than me, walked off the court with a smile on his face and sweat dripping down off his chin to his already soaked blue and orange jersey. He just scored 38 points against one of the arguably best basketball teams in the western hemisphere also rivaling and outscoring one of the best shooting guards to ever grace the hardwood. Looking up at the score board, his team won in stunning fashion 85 to 92 all he could do is to think about how his future had no way but to go up. Handshakes, butt slaps, high fives and hugs all surrounded him as he got to his bench. The electricity and insanity of the crowd, the uproar of cameras bright flashes snapping all hitting his fatigued body caused him to show his humble smile even more and he would probably smile for the rest of his career.

Jeremy Lin, probably the most unintimidating professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He was already released from one organization and was dwindling on being fired once again but this time was different. He was a reserve guard that never played that season but due to injury would be forced to have to start for the first time in his professional career for the New York Knicks.  Taking the court in the best basketball league on Earth must already feel like an elephant sitting on your chest but starting in an NBA game for the first time is so much pressure I wouldn’t dare to want to imagine the feeling. He wasn’t drafted, he had played in the Developmental league for the NBA, and he was so humble of a person that when he was stopped from gaining access to the practice facility in New York by security because they didn’t believe that he was an actual player, all he could do was laugh and smile until finally being allowed in after the mix-up.

A graduate from Harvard in Economics and he was still sleeping on his teammates couch. Jeremy Lin is probably the best inspiration to student athletes that education is more important but you should never give up on your dreams because one day you may get your chance to attain your dreams. Jeremy Lin never gave up, never lost hope, never stopped but he worked hard in the classroom to gain access to the greatest school in the nation and was able to participate in Ivey league athletics. In reality he might not have been the best player, made all the right decisions or played such perfect games that he deserved to go to straight professional play, but anyone who can come from such a low to a high such as him, in my mind deserves a lot of recognition. I think that my situations in basketball and life are bad and that I dig myself in holes that I can’t see the top to but he can go through all that he has and keep the same resolve, and a never quit attitude.  I plan to adopt his mentality and to prove to myself that I can do whatever I want if put my mind to it and that one day my chance might come and I have to come through on it.

Now in the NBA with a new franchise, new city, new contract, and new faces he’s ready to be painted a franchise player. He’s on magazine covers and billboards and has a big fat new 35million dollar contract to play in my hometown, for the Houston Rockets. I can’t wait to see how he does this year and how when put in front of adversity how he comes out. Good or bad he’s my inspiration and will still be my hero.