Feb 11, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin (17) calls a play during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center. The Knicks defeated the Timberwolves 100-98. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images

Former Maverick reminisces on 'Linsanity' Knicks run

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Austin Veazey | Last updated May 26, 2025 9:00 AM ET

It's hard to believe, but it's been over a decade since Jeremy Lin had his "Linsanity" run with the New York Knicks. It's one of the more memorable NBA moments since 2000, especially for the Knicks, who hadn't had a lot of success until making the Eastern Conference Finals this season.

For those who may not remember, Jeremy Lin was an undrafted guard out of Harvard who actually got his start with the Dallas Mavericks. Donnie Nelson invited Lin to the team's mini-camp and Summer League and eventually had camp offers from the Mavs, Golden State Warriors, and Los Angeles Lakers before choosing the Warriors. But he's most remembered for his stint with the Knicks, when he stepped in with Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire dealing with injuries to lead the team to some wins, averaging 23.9 PPG over an 11-game stretch of the 2011-12 season.

Former Dallas Maverick and Knick Amar'e Stoudemire hopped on his former teammate Carmelo Anthony's podcast, "7PM in Brooklyn," to remember the incredible "Linsanity" run.

"When Jeremy Lin got a chance to play, no one knew who he was. Each game you get like a scouting report of the team and all the players, and there was no scouting report for Jeremy Lin. We had a couple guys injured, so we had to do a plug-and-play. So, he took advantage of it. For those two games I missed, he was scoring like 30 points, 35 points, and then it really hit when he played the Lakers against Kobe [Bryant] and then he had 35 or something like that against Kobe... And I'm in Florida, I'm at the crib, and I'm watching the games, I'm like 'What the, what?'

"So, when I get back to New York, I'm seeing the whole city is in an uproar... I'm seeing so many Jeremy Lin jerseys. Every game the crowd was going crazy, and Linsanity happened."

Carmelo and Stoudemire then discussed Lin's famous game-winner against the Toronto Raptors.

"I was like, 'What you mean clear out, man? Melo ain't here, that ball better come to me, man,'" Stoudemire laughingly said. "What you mean clear out? So we tryin' to clear out and I'm like, 'let me see what he got.' He took a lil hesi, pull-up...and he hit it."

The Linsanity run will always be fondly remembered, and that one three-week stretch of basketball led to a nine-year career for Lin. That isn't something to take lightly.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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