If Lin boosts ticket sales or plays his way into a permanent role going forward, that's even better. But he'll spend next season draped in purple and gold because of the assist he gave the franchise's future asset collection.
For the player himself, though, this is something so much greater that it can't easily be put into words. More than anything, this is a chance to prove he's a legitimate NBA player, not just the main character in a story so unbelievable it still boggles the minds of those who witnessed it.
His journey left a remarkable trail that may never be retraced. He has toiled in the D-League, been buried on the bench and more than once floated out on the waiver wire.
Then came that miraculous two-month stretch with the New York Knicks in 2012, the global phenomenon that was simply dubbed "Linsanity." It began when desperation thrust him into then-Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni's lineup, continued with a stretch of historically strong outbursts and ended as quickly as it started at the hands of a torn meniscus in his left knee.
But the Linsanity movement hasn't stopped.
His story has been showcased on the silver screen. A Jeremy Lin action figure is already in circulation, and a wax statue will be coming very soon, according to Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times:
His brand appears here to stay, and it should only strengthen now that he's suiting up for one of the league's most storied franchises.
But this isn't about improving his marketability or adding an interesting chapter to an already fascinating feature. It's about seizing the incredible basketball opportunity in front of him and putting the focus back inside the lines.
If Lake...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
