A Turbulent Fortnight in December 2011
Long before securing an NBA championship ring and transitioning to a broadcasting career as an ESPN game analyst for the 2026-27 season, Jeremy Lin experienced a professional low point in December 2011. As reported by Athlon via Yahoo Sports, the undrafted Harvard guard lost two NBA jobs within a span of just 15 days. His hometown team, the Golden State Warriors, cut him first on Dec. 9, 2011, to clear salary cap room for an offer sheet to center DeAndre Jordan. Days later, the Houston Rockets claimed Lin off waivers, only to keep him through just two preseason games before waiving him on Dec. 24, 2011, to make room for center Samuel Dalembert.
Both franchises reportedly wanted Lin back on their rosters if he went unclaimed on waivers. However, neither team got a second chance immediately. On Dec. 27, 2011, the New York Knicks claimed the 23-year-old guard, who was struggling to find stability in a lockout-shortened season while the team faced backcourt injuries. That waiver claim set the stage for one of the most remarkable underdog runs in professional sports history.
The Spark of Linsanity in New York
The cultural phenomenon known as Linsanity erupted on Feb. 4, 2012, when Lin scored 25 points in a 99-92 victory over the New Jersey Nets. Just six days later, he delivered a career-high 38 points against Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, a performance Lin later named as his favorite moment of that era during a Reddit AMA. Front offices quickly took notice of the sudden breakout across the league.
Houston general manager Daryl Morey publicly owned his franchise’s miscalculation on social media as the guard’s performances captivated basketball fans worldwide. “We should have kept @jlin7. Did not know he was this good. Anyone who says they knew misleading U,” Morey posted on Twitter during the height of the craze. The Rockets ultimately received a second chance at securing the guard in July 2012 when Lin, then a restricted free agent, signed a three-year, $25.1 million offer sheet that included a heavily back-loaded final season worth nearly $15 million. Although the Knicks opted not to match the offer—with Lin admitting to SI.com at the time that he preferred staying in New York—Morey welcomed him back with a public promise on Twitter: “Welcome to Houston @JLin7! We plan to hang on this time.”
A Nine-Year Journey to a Championship Ring
Lin’s professional playing career extended far beyond his dramatic breakout in New York and his subsequent tenure in Houston. Over nine professional seasons in the NBA, he played for multiple organizations, evolving from a journeyman backup into a steady contributor, floor general, and respected locker-room leader. The ultimate culmination of his playing career arrived in 2019, when he captured an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors, adding a championship ring to his basketball resume.
Following his official retirement from professional playing in August 2025, Lin transitioned smoothly into the realm of sports media. He joined ESPN as a game analyst and contributor for the NBA Today program ahead of the 2026-27 season, bringing his analytical perspective and extensive playing experience to television audiences. Reflecting on his remarkable journey from being waived twice in a single month to lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy, Lin’s trajectory remains a defining example of perseverance, adaptability, and resilience in professional basketball.