Redemption comes to those who deserve it most
The realization that you’re no longer looked at as a potential starter, much less a potential star, is a really tough pill to swallow. But it’s something Jeremy Lin had to do when he signed to the Charlotte Hornets, mainly because for him, it was a chance to restart everything put on him while he was in New York, Houston and LA. It was an opportunity to create for himself and step-out of the spotlight.
Heading into Charlotte, Lin knew exactly what his role was going to be. Kemba Walker was the man for the hornets, and Courtney Lee played too well alongside Walker for Lin to even think about playing in the starting line-up. Not exactly ideal situation, but teams weren’t exactly trying to force their way into Lin’s mind.
So, Lin signed to the Hornets as a reserve, something he accepted and embraced for a few reasons:
1.) Charlotte signed forward Nicolas Batum, showing their aggressiveness toward making the postseason
2.) Steve Clifford was going to run a bench that was specifically tooled for Lin’s style of play. Fast play and a lot of pick-and-rolls.
The decision to sign with the Hornets turned out to be the best one of, if not the best decision of Lin’s career. He went on to have his best on-court season since his two-week break-out with the Knicks, finishing seventh in the voting for Sixth Man of the Year. Lin was the driving force that sparked Charlotte’s bench, and he played a vital role in the team making the playoffs again. But that’s not why him signing the two-year, $4.37 million deal (with a player option) was so beneficial to his career. He greatly increased his value on the market due to his play. That’s not why him joining to a team owned by Michael Jordan was such a good move either.
It was because he started to have fun again.
Charlotte was something Lin never really saw in his NBA career, the oft-overused cliché of a brotherhood each working toward the greater goal. Yes, just about every athlete thinks that in just about every team sport. It’s not anything special, and it’s not rare. But for Lin, it was a first. It’s highly speculated that he was forced out of New York due to another star’s unwillingness to share the spotlight. He was pushed to the bench in Houston because he couldn’t play well with James Harden, which isn’t necessarily the fault of either of the two.
Then in LA…well…Kobe. So if you were wondering, yes. Lin enjoying his teammates is a truism that every athlete has felt, but for Jeremy it was an odd change of pace considering all he’s experienced in the NBA.
As always, Lin had the support of the team’s fanbase as soon as he signed the deal to join the Hornets. He’s too well-known not to have. But his play, but most importantly, his hairdos built on to what was already a pretty large following, and that was when he was trying to avoid the attention. Lin had garnered enough love that most weren’t upset with him when he opted out of his contract in search for more money and a larger role. So when he did just that, and accepted a better deal, Lin thanked Hornets fans on Reddit.
"“Man, thank you guys for embracing me last year. It really was my most enjoyable season in the NBA, and a big part of that was because of the fans (especially the kids who showed up with mohawks lol). It was awesome to be a part of a season that surpassed expectations and brought the city its first playoff win in years. I will always cherish my time in Charlotte, but I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to continue seeing what I can do as a basketball player. Thank you Buzz City!!”"
And so, Lin moved on from Charlotte a happier and more content man.