A reflection and analysis of Jeremy Lin’s time with the Brooklyn Nets.
Jeremy Lin is often thought of for his “Linsanity” with the New York Knicks during the 2011-12 NBA season. He became an icon with his clutch shot-making and averaged 14.6 points, 6.2 assists, and 1.6 steals in 35 games.
However, we must not forget his stint with the Brooklyn Nets, where he continued to be an icon and averaged some of the best stats of his NBA career. Let’s reflect on Linsanity in the borough across the bridge.
Jeremy Lin’s stint with the Brooklyn Nets
Jeremy Lin was revolutionary in Brooklyn. He brought energy to a franchise desperately in need of talent. In the summer of 2016; Lin signed a three-year contract with the Nets returning to the city of New York and reuniting with his old assistant coach Kenny Atkinson.
Although he had a couple of down seasons, the Nets bet on Lin’s potential to push them toward success. In his first season with the Nets, he appeared in 36 games averaging 14.5 points, 5.1 assists, and shot a career-high 37% for three-pointers. These numbers are similar to his breakout season with the Knicks, but unfortunately, injuries cut his time short.
He had persistent hamstring problems early on before later suffering an ankle injury taking him out for the rest of the season. His injury woes did not stop there. In the first game of the 2017-2018 season, Lin had scored 18 points before suffering a ruptured patella tendon injury in the 4th quarter. The injury took him out for the entire season. It would be his last game for the Brooklyn Nets as he was traded to the Atlanta Hawks the next summer for draft rights and a second-round pick.
Lin’s unfortunate string of injuries was disheartening to a Nets fan like myself. Reuniting Lin with New York City and pairing him with a talent like D’Angelo Russell was great for the Nets. I can’t help but think about how good he and the Nets could have been if he had stayed healthy. It would have been the rebirth of Linsanity. He gained a couple more opportunities in the NBA before playing overseas.
Regardless of the outcomes, it was awesome to see Jeremy Lin in a Nets jersey. I’ll cherish Jeremy Lin’s time in Brooklyn with the same great hype and energy as his original “Linsane” chapter.