How Jeremy Lin Made Kobe Bryant Eat His Words After Doubting ‘Linsanity’

Respect is something Bryant understood. After tasting the humble pie served by Lin, Bryant acknowledged just how good a player he was. “Players don’t usually come out of nowhere. If you can go out and drop 38 on us, you’re a hell of a player,” he said.

Lin had the Mamba stamp of approval because in 2014, he joined the Lakers, where the two created some memories to cherish forever.

Lin waved off Kobe to hit clutch shots himself

Bryant loved the responsibility in crunch time. Not all his shots went in, of course, but he thrived under pressure, and when there was a game-winner on the line, it was he who had the ball. However, in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Lin did the unthinkable.

In the fourth quarter of the game with the scores tied 103-103, Lin had the ball in his hands. He then proceeded to wave Bryant away and dribble the ball to the side to successfully hit a shot from deep. There was nothing Chris Paul could do to stop him.

It was yet another Linsanity moment. Sadly, it was one of the last. Lin’s career slowed down after coaches and scouts learned to stop his predictable moves on the court. Plus, injuries (to his knee in particular) meant that he never really got back to his 2012 Knicks’ best self ever.

That said, Lin will always be remembered for his brilliant run in form for New York. He was a “hell of a player,” as Kobe said. You don’t make it big in the NBA if you’re not.