Would Jeremy Lin still be a sensation if he played for a team like the Charlotte Bobcats? No matter how you look at it, his story is Linspirational (sorry, couldn’t resist). Having gone from a few days away from hitting the unemployment line to one of the best point guards in the league, Lin is the ultimate underdog story. It is fair to wonder, however, how much attention he would be receiving if his explosion had come while playing for a team other than the Knicks.
According to Mark Cuban, things would be different if Lin was lighting up an arena that wasn’t Madison Square Garden.
“David Lee, Nate Robinson, when they all came out of nowhere, they were the toast of the town and that’s the way it should be,” Cuban said according to the Dallas Morning News. “New York is still kind of the mecca for the media of basketball. It’s great for the league and Jeremy Lin is a great kid. So I’m happy for him.”
Cuban’s right. Without the media frenzy and bright spotlight of New York, it’s unlikely there would be any $40,000 game-worn jersey sold on eBay or Lin Mint flavored milk shakes. But isn’t that what has made the entire run the perfect storm? Lin receives more attention for the things he has done because he plays in New York, but that speaks to his ability to handle the pressure and play with a veteran’s poise.
The Knicks’ expectations were through the roof heading into the season and they stumbled out of the gate. Lin has righted the ship, and he’s done it under the bright lights of New York City. If you ask me, he deserves more attention for that than he would if he did the same things in a place like Charlotte or Memphis.
