Commentary
Why didn't we see Jeremy Lin coming?
Jeremy Lin has been great, but can he keep this up? (PER Diem: Feb. 13, 2012)
Updated: February 14, 2012, 2:03 PM ET
By
John Hollinger | ESPN.com
Sometimes the most exciting and amazing things in sports (or in life, for that matter) are those that are so improbable that they defy rational explanation.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
-
ESPN The Magazine subscribers
-
Need more information?
- NBA Insider for ESPN.com since 2005
- Developed PER, Pace Factor and other key metrics
- Former author of "Pro Basketball Forecast"
MORE NBA HEADLINES
- Shaq decides not to pursue Magic's GM post
- Coach rips Pacers for targeting Heat stars
- Final preview? LeBron, Durant top All-NBA team
- Pacers' Granger to play despite ankle sprain
MOST SENT STORIES ON ESPN.COM
MORE FROM THE WEB
Connect with Facebook to share your ESPN activities. Learn more »
Learn moreLogged into Facebook as
- Social Sharing ON ▼
- ON OFF ▼
- Remind me every time I add an event to my Activity
- My Activity ▼
- Recently shared to your timeline:
The Latest Linsanity

Twitter / Facebook / Google+
LATEST LIN CONTENT
- PER Diem: Jeremy Lin's turnovers?
- Ohm: Linsanity leads to understanding
- Adande: Race and lessons learned
- Bryant: Our Jeremy Lin opportunity
- Pierce: Stardom and internet age
- Adande: The key to Lin's success?
- 5-on-5: Is Lin the real deal? An All-Star?
- Reilly: How did coaches miss on Lin?
- Keown: Lin's HS coach surprised too
- Arnovitz: The audience gets bigger
- 5-on-5: Can Jeremy Lin keep this up?
- PER Diem: Who knew about Jeremy Lin?
- Power Rankings: Knicks leaping with Lin
- Harper: Five straight wins -- is this a dream?
- Jeremy's day off, watching his little bro
- Sharing Asian roots, Spoelstra backs Lin
- Broussard: Is Jeremy Lin for real?
- Stephen A.: Melo, D'Antoni must fit with Lin
- Chau: What I see in Lin
- Doolittle: What to expect from here
- Adande: Lin's big night vs. Lakers
- Lin: Yao a big brother to me
- Begley: Any more questions, skeptics?
- Begley: What took so long, D'Antoni?
- Rockets GM: We should have kept Lin
- Lin earns win in first NBA start
- Lin begins run with big splash off bench
- Clemmons: Lin's rookie season challenges
- Arnovitz: Vegas summer league breakout
- O'Neil: Immigrant's dream lives in son
REGULAR FEATURES

- chadfordinsider Chad Ford
Marcus Denmon looks good in second group. There's a toughness there. Being a leader. Hitting shots. Hustling. Scouts think he's underrated
3 minutes ago
- chadfordinsider Chad Ford

- TrueHoop Henry Abbott
2012 TrueHoop Stat Geek Smackdown, where picking LA in 7, instead of 5, against Denver has made the difference: http://t.co/fP3XbITL
25 minutes ago
- TrueHoop Henry Abbott

- ESPNSteinLine Marc Stein
RT @ericdickinger: @ESPNSteinLine It still makes no sense (MEDIA KNOWS D BETTER THAN COACHES. SIMPLE)
31 minutes ago
- ESPNSteinLine Marc Stein

- ESPNSteinLine Marc Stein
Dikembe DPOY in 1994-95 but NOT All-Defense first team, losing out to @DavidtheAdmiral. Looks like last time it happened pre @tysonchandler
40 minutes ago
- ESPNSteinLine Marc Stein

- chadfordinsider Chad Ford
Ezeli has a great body and is tough. But no one to match his strength here. In much better shape and more explosive now.
47 minutes ago
- chadfordinsider Chad Ford

- chadfordinsider Chad Ford
Jenkins has added some muscle to his frame. Looks more explosive than he did at Vandy.
49 minutes ago
- chadfordinsider Chad Ford

- chadfordinsider Chad Ford
Jenkins just follows up hitting 12/15 from NBA three. Pretty stroke.
about an hour ago
- chadfordinsider Chad Ford

- chadfordinsider Chad Ford
John Jenkins just hit 13/15 from 3 in a fast paced 3-point drill. Though I think everyone in here knows he's the best shooter in the draft
about an hour ago
- chadfordinsider Chad Ford

- chadfordinsider Chad Ford
About 80 NBA scouts and execs here in Santa Barbara including Kevin O'Connor, Mitch Kupchak, Bob Meyers, & Brian Colangelo
about an hour ago
- chadfordinsider Chad Ford

- TrueHoop Henry Abbott
RT @AdamReisinger: With the addition of Avery Bradley, I'm thinking the "players injured in the 2012 playoffs" team could be a title con ...
about an hour ago
- TrueHoop Henry Abbott

- NBAonESPN The NBA on ESPN
Playoff trends: Stars failing in the clutch, but Durant and LeBron stepping up http://t.co/iByfK91B (Insider)
about 2 hours ago
- NBAonESPN The NBA on ESPN

- ESPNSteinLine Marc Stein
RT @danny_pugsley: @ESPNSteinLine Just caught the Grantland piece. Have you recovered yet? (DON'T WANT TO RECOVER, PAL!)
about 2 hours ago
- ESPNSteinLine Marc Stein

- RoyceWebb Royce Webb, ESPN NBA
Danny Granger plans to play despite a sprained ankle the size of "a small softball." http://t.co/VT3HmClC
about 2 hours ago
- RoyceWebb Royce Webb, ESPN NBA

- NBAonESPN The NBA on ESPN
Danny Granger (ankle) plans to play in Game 6 http://t.co/wVPfX3Zz
about 2 hours ago
- NBAonESPN The NBA on ESPN

- Chris_Broussard Chris Broussard
Shaq turns down opportunity to interview for Magic's GM job, sources tell http://t.co/LJmPOP27's Jackie MacMullan http://t.co/wySZvdu2
about 2 hours ago
- Chris_Broussard Chris Broussard

- NBAonESPN The NBA on ESPN
How much rough stuff will we see tonight in Heat-Pacers? ESPN NBA 5-on-5: http://t.co/oCGDyHQj
about 2 hours ago
- NBAonESPN The NBA on ESPN

- RoyceWebb Royce Webb, ESPN NBA
Israel Gutierrez on how the Heat turned up the intensity (thanks in part to the Pacers): http://t.co/TowqJQhe
about 2 hours ago
- RoyceWebb Royce Webb, ESPN NBA

- NBAonESPN The NBA on ESPN
Shaq declines opportunity to interview for Orlando Magic GM job, sources say: http://t.co/DO3aPrZO
about 2 hours ago
- NBAonESPN The NBA on ESPN

- NBARumorCentral ESPN
Why Kenyon Martin may have played his last game with the Clippers. http://t.co/YdPCpDNv
about 2 hours ago
- NBARumorCentral ESPN

- NBARumorCentral ESPN
Denver looking for shooting help in the first round? They have pick No. 20. http://t.co/SX3j2DgQ
about 2 hours ago
- NBARumorCentral ESPN
- Paine: Five postseason trends.
- Broussard: LeBron must take over scoring
- TeamRankings: Garnett vs Duncan in Finals?
- Bucher podcast: What's happening with D-Rose?
- Thorpe: Postseason MVPs

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
