Jeremy Lin had never heard so many plays on words involving his last name as he has this week since going from the end of the bench for the NBA New York Knicks to a historic starting role.
From Lin-sanity and Linning to Super Lin-tendo and Shots are Fal-Lin', the headlines and catchphrases are multiplying for the 23-year-old guard, the first American-born player of Taiwanese and Chinese heritage in the NBA.
"I didn't know that you could turn Lin into so many things," Lin said on Friday. "Me and my family were just laughing last night because I guess we underestimated how creative everyone could be."
Lin has lived out his dream starting the past two games for the Knicks in the wake of a groin injury to Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire being aware from the team until Monday following the death of a brother in a car accident.
Lin scored 28 points and passed out eight assists in a victory over Utah then had 23 points and 10 assists in a triumph at Washington, becoming the first NBA player since LeBron James with at least 20 points and eight assists in his first two starts.
"I wanted to this year establish myself into the rotation and not be the 15th guy. That's what I felt like I could do," Lin said. "But the reality was I was the 12 to 15th guy on the team and I got waived a couple times."
But after Houston and Golden State gave up on him, Lin has spectators clapping in delight now at the former Harvard University standout, who played 28 games with Golden State last season.
"When I get on the court and I play with our team, none of us are thinking about all of this other stuff that's going on," Lin said. "It's just basketball and that's what we enjoy."
The Knicks are enjoying Lin's moment in the sun as well.
"I love it. I'm glad that it's happening to him, in all honesty," said Knicks big man Tyson Chandler. "It couldn't happen to a better guy. The way he goes about things, you would never know all of this stuff was going on.
"What he brings to this team is invaluable, the spacing on the floor, the ball movement -- he really puts everybody back in their natural position. He has a huge impact because he has everybody feeling confident again."
Now Lin is a media darling with reporters from Asia and New York crowding to catch his every word.
"Things are changing so much and everyone wants to talk to me and my family," Lin said. "We're very low-key people and private people, so sometimes it's a little tough."
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