The early months of 2012 delivered one of the NBA’s most unexpected stories when Jeremy Lin transformed from an unknown bench player to a global sensation overnight.
The Harvard graduate barely made the New York Knicks roster and was struggling to find his place in the NBA.
What followed became known as “Linsanity,” a phenomenon that captured attention far beyond the basketball court.
Former Knicks teammate Carmelo Anthony recently looked back on that remarkable stretch during his podcast “7PM In Brooklyn,” and the conversation revealed Anthony’s desire to bring Lin onto the show.
“F.Y.I. We gon’ get Linsanity on here. We gon’ let him tell the story,” Anthony said.
Jeremy Lin taking over NYC and the basketball world will NEVER be forgotten 😂
Amar’e: “Every game the crowd was going crazy … he kept the wave going.”
Melo: “We gon’ get Linsanity on here.” pic.twitter.com/yCzV2PkHd9
— 7PM in Brooklyn (@7PMinBrooklyn) May 22, 2025
Speaking with former Knicks teammate Amar’e Stoudemire, they shared their memories of witnessing Lin’s meteoric rise firsthand, as he went from sleeping on teammates’ couches to becoming the focal point at Madison Square Garden in a matter of weeks.
Lin’s journey represents one of the NBA’s greatest underdog stories, filled with near misses and unlikely breaks that eventually led to stardom.
Before his breakthrough in New York, Lin had been released by the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets.
The Knicks gave him a chance primarily because they needed players during a difficult season marked by injuries and poor performance.
Head coach Mike D’Antoni decided to give Lin meaningful minutes during a game against the Brooklyn Nets, and the decision paid off immediately as Lin scored 25 points off the bench, providing a spark the team desperately needed.
But the moment that truly launched Linsanity came against the Los Angeles Lakers.
With the Garden buzzing and cameras capturing every moment, Lin delivered a performance that shocked the basketball world.
He scored 38 points and dished out seven assists while outdueling Kobe Bryant, and that single game transformed Lin from curiosity to phenomenon.
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