Unless you’ve been incommunicado for the last week or two, you’ve surely heard the name “Jeremy Lin” by now. The sports world has even coined a new term to describe the excitement surrounding the NBA phenomenon: “Linsanity.” Amazingly, Jeremy has gone from a bench-warming point-guard on the New York Knicks team, to one of their MVPs – almost overnight.
 

 
As the LA Times reports:

(Lin) is the ultimate breakthrough story, unconstrained by borders or boundaries. The New York Knicks sensation has shredded stereotypes associated with being undrafted . . . and Asian American . . . and hailing from Harvard, which before Lin had last produced an NBA player in 1954.
 
He is the insurance policy who turned into a winning lottery ticket, rising from fourth-string point guard to the starting lineup to the cover of Sports Illustrated in less than two weeks amid a series of he-just-topped-himself-again performances.

 
But there’s a certain “something else” about Lin that makes him a standout. In a league where players are just as likely to be known for their off-court “bad-boy” behavior as they are for their basketball achievements, Jeremy is that rare thing; a Christian. From World Magazine:

…Lin’s story of perseverance on the basketball court cannot be separated from his testimony of dedication to God, a faith that sustained him through rejection, humiliation, and now, unexpected fame. Through each setback Lin encountered on his way to becoming a household name, the devout basketball player trusted God and used his trials to encourage others.

 
Lin’s basketball career began in California at Palo Alto High School where he led his team to a 32:1 record and a state title. The next stop was Harvard (2006-10) where he was named to the All-Ivy League. After college he signed with his hometown Golden State Warriors, his favorite team growing up. But life in the NBA spotlight seemed overwhelming, and his performance on the court suffered as a result.
Lin grew up in the church, but the pressures he was facing eventually brought him to the point “where I really lost my joy, my passion, and my purpose in basketball.”
 
The World article continues ~

He realized that basketball had become an idol in his life, so he decided to return to trusting God for his future.
 
“For me to not trust God is crazy,” Lin said, listing all of the ways God had paved his way to the NBA, including his dad’s love for basketball, his coaches, and his spiritual growth at Harvard.

 
Comparisons with Denver Bronco’s quarterback Tim Tebow have been inevitable;

While Lin might not share Tebow’s flair for attention Adrian Tam, who served as Lin’s spiritual mentor at Harvard, says both men have a commitment to sharing their faith and backing it up with their actions: “They both want to give all the credit to God.”