Mike D’Antoni, former head coach of the New York Knicks at about the time when Jeremy Lin was still with the Big Apple basketball team more than four years ago, recently spoke up about how the 27-year-old Harvard graduate could have been an NBA superstar early if not for the resentment of the team’s two superstars.
D’Antoni was coaching the Knicks when he found a goldmine in Jeremy Lin, who put a depth on their bench following the injury to Carmelo Anthony.
It was during those times when Jeremy Lin became an instant superstar and a fan darling at the Madison Square Garden, which was eventually dubbed as ‘Linsanity.’
Unfortunately, Linsanity was short-lived as towards the end of the season, the Knicks released Lin and the Houston Rockets signed him up for a three-year $25 million deal, beginning with the 2012-13 NBA season.
Mike D’Antoni, who just took over the coaching duties for the Houston Rockets, replacing Bernie Bickerstaff, revealed during a recent podcast that Linsanity never happened again in New York because Jeremy Lin’s style of play has reportedly brought ill-will against two of the team’s superstars.
While D’Antoni did not identify the names of the two Knicks superstars, it was eventually found out to be Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire, reports the Christian Times.
Refused to adjust their games
Apparently, Anthony and Stoudemire refused to adjust their play in the game to allow Lin the opportunity to prove himself, D’Antoni went on.
He said that the resentment was really there and the problem was real. So for Jeremy Lin to be really good, he had to play a certain way that is not fit for his game and would be difficult for him to adapt.
But since Anthony and Stoudemire did not want to adjust their play, there existed a conflict where eventually the issue of what is best for the team was put to question.
The new Houston Rockets head coach said that if the three players could have co-existed at that time, the New York Knicks would have fared better. They could have become the Beast in the East back then.
But unfortunately, that did not happen as the team became divided and at the end of the season, the Knicks management was left with the decision of letting go of Jeremy Lin.
The Knicks have since become one of the favorite whipping boys in the Eastern Conference of the NBA even with Anthony and Stoudemire around. Shortly, Stoudemire got injured and he was eventually released and got picked up by the Dallas Mavericks. He was taken on by the Miami Heat last year, playing backup center to Hassan Whiteside.
The Knicks, on the other hand, continue to shake its roster and looked to have improved with the addition of Kristap Porzingis last year. But none could be better for the team than the recent acquisition of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah from the Chicago Bulls. Finally, the Knicks are a contender again in the East and it is not because of Carmelo Anthony obviously.
Acclimatizing himself with the Nets
After signing with the Brooklyn Nets for a three-year $36 million contract one day after the formal opening of the NBA free agency, Jeremy Lin is now acclimatizing himself with his new team.
He has been seen joining Nets Coach Kenny Atkinson at the Las Vegas Summer League and was also spotted at the HSS Training Center, reports the Nets Daily.
The Brooklyn Nets shall hold a press conference on July 20 where the team shall make an official announcement about the team’s newest members including Jeremy Lin, who shall become the team’s starting point guard most likely.
Believe in Karma. The two superstars especially Melo will suffer either physically or mentally. Their insecurities have caused the departure of one of the most humble and nicest players in NBA,