Menu

Wayback Wednesday: Linsanity & The Virtual Hardwood

Wayback Wednesday: Linsanity & The Virtual Hardwood

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at Linsanity, and its effect on basketball video games.

The NBA has produced some captivating stories in its 75 years, including inspiring underdog tales. When I was growing up as a young NBA fan in the 90s, the story of how John Starks went from undrafted prospect to a key member of the best Knicks teams since the 70s was one of the most popular. Some twenty years after Starks’ breakout season in New York, another Knicks guard would become a fan favourite after making his mark. Of course, while there are some fun coincidences in the careers of John Starks and Jeremy Lin, there are some noteworthy differences as well.

Both originally made their NBA debut for the Golden State Warriors, seeing limited minutes while playing less than half of the season. Both had gone undrafted, though Lin had arguably been a much longer shot to make the league, having not received any athletic scholarship offers and being just one of four players from Harvard to go pro (and the first in over fifty years). Again, both were fan favourites in New York, whose big break came in part thanks to injuries. However, while Starks’ career was memorable, Linsanity was something special, brief as it may have been. It also had a noticeable impact on the virtual hardwood. Let’s take a look back…way back…

Even before Linsanity, I remember Jeremy Lin as a player that fans were talking about. Although they’d expressed concerns about his jumpshot and athleticism, scouts had also praised his passing, court vision, and basketball IQ. As the first American of Chinese or Taiwanese descent to play in the NBA, there was enthusiastic support from the Asian-American population in the Bay Area when he joined his hometown Warriors. Beyond breaking down barriers, Lin was someone that hardcore, in-the-know fans spoke of in glowing terms. He was the kind of player that, if you’d seen him play, was far more impressive than box score watchers would ever know.

The Start of Linsanity in NBA 2K12

Of course, come his second season in the league, he’d have a chance to start filling the box scores as well. In the spirit of the best underdog stories, Lin had played only 55 minutes through the Knicks’ first 23 games of the lockout-shortened 2012 season, spending most of the time on assignment to the D-League and fearing he’d be cut. Then, on February 4th 2012, Lin posted 25 points, five rebounds, and seven assists in a 99-92 victory over All-Star Deron Williams and the New Jersey Nets. His first career start came in the next game against the Jazz, another win in which he had 28 points and nine assists. It began a seven-game winning streak with Lin as a starter.

If you were watching the NBA in 2012, I’m sure that you recall the excitement of Linsanity, even if you weren’t a Knicks fan. He continued to post impressive numbers, becoming the first player with at least 20 points and seven assists in each of his first five NBA starts. He hit a gamewinner in Toronto, a game-clinching free throw in Minnesota, and famously outscored Kobe Bryant 38-34 in a win over the Lakers, prompting Kobe to comment on players whose skills go unnoticed. His jersey became a best-seller, along with other Jeremy Lin merchandise. Lin was on the cover of Time and Sports Illustrated, and very wisely trademarked “Linsanity” as the craze took off.

Unfortunately, Jeremy Lin’s 2012 season came to an end after a game against the Pistons on March 24th, with soreness in his left knee leading to the discovery of a meniscus tear. Lin opted for surgery, and in the offseason, ended up departing for the Houston Rockets. In 2016, Mike D’Antoni and Amar’e Stoudemire – Lin’s former coach and teammate in New York – confirmed that there was resentment from some Knicks players during the height of Linsanity, despite their on-court success. He went on to play for the Lakers, Hornets, Nets and Hawks, before winning a championship with the Raptors in 2019. Since then, Lin has played in China and the G League.

Jeremy Lin Final Ratings in NBA 2K12

So, the story of Linsanity – brief though it was – is one of the best underdog tales in league history, and certainly of the past ten to fifteen years. It was incredibly exciting to see a player go from a well-kept secret that hardcore fans raved about, to a success story who continued to prove that his big game against the Nets was no fluke. What did it mean for basketball video games, though? In the default rosters of NBA 2K12, Jeremy Lin was rated 56 Overall, stuck at the end of the Warriors’ bench as he had been at the end of the 2011 season. To put it in perspective, Acie Law – out of the NBA by 2011 and somewhat of a bust as the 11th pick in 2007 – had an Overall of 59.

Needless to say, those paltry ratings didn’t last long once Linsanity was in full swing. Lin’s shooting attributes in the default rosters were understandably low given the scouting reports on his jumper, though his passing and IQ ratings were underrated; again, a sign of how he’d previously flown under the radar until Linsanity made him impossible to ignore. In an official roster update, Lin’s Overall Rating jumped from 56 to 69. By the end of the season he was sitting at 76 Overall, one of the largest ratings updates in the history of NBA 2K’s official rosters. Hassan Whiteside’s breakout would later see him go from 59 to 77 Overall during the course of the 2015 season.

Not surprisingly, Jeremy Lin wasn’t included in the default rosters of NBA Jam: On Fire Edition. While NBA Jam games have occasionally included some unorthodox choices in their smaller team rosters, Lin’s passionate but nevertheless cult following prior to Linsanity didn’t outweigh his limited role with the Warriors. On April 13th 2012, Lin was among the players added in the game’s second roster update. Arguably, his addition was more exciting than that of the Class of 2011 rookies, which included top pick Kyrie Irving. Following Linsanity, gamers wanted to play with Jeremy Lin on the virtual hardwood, and they wanted his ratings to reflect his performance.

Jeremy Lin vs the Raptors in NBA 2K12

Although injuries derailed a couple of his prime years in the NBA, Jeremy Lin’s skill was still apparent. As such, between NBA 2K13 and NBA 2K20, his Overall Rating fluctuated between a respectable 75 and 78 Overall. Interestingly, the historical Lin that appeared on the 2012 Knicks – added in NBA 2K18 – has an Overall Rating of 85. Unfortunately, he’s missing from the 2012 Knicks in NBA 2K21 and NBA 2K22, rendering their inclusion incredibly pointless. Despite this absence, a card based on his memorable 2012 season performance was available in NBA 2K21 MyTEAM, with a 99 Overall Rating. He’s likewise exclusive to MyTEAM in NBA 2K22.

Describing unbelievable performances in the NBA as being like something out of a video game has become somewhat cliché, though it’s not completely inaccurate. Games like Kobe’s 81-point outburst against the Raptors, or Russell Westbrook’s string of seasons averaging a triple-double in the modern era, mimic the incredible things that we do on the virtual hardwood. In a way, Linsanity was straight out of a video game as well. Like the proverbial Virtual Hardwood Legends – those lower-rated role players who become stars in our hands – he began posting starter-quality numbers, outperforming his ratings in video games and defying expectations.

It also brings to mind some of the numbers that we post early on in MyCAREER, when we’re still grinding our way up from 60 Overall. Only, just like Kobe’s 81 and other incredible feats that draw comparisons to video games, Linsanity was for real. Though that run caught many of us by surprise, as the late great Kobe Bryant noted, such performances don’t truly come out of nowhere; a player’s skills may simply go unnoticed until a breakout performance draws attention to them. With the spotlight on him and playing for a team under intense scrutiny from the hometown media, Jeremy Lin continued to thrive. Knicks fan or not, you were happy to see him succeed.

Jeremy Lin vs Kobe Bryant in NBA 2K12

Looking back, Linsanity also represents an aspect of the NBA and basketball video games that I miss. It was a time when we enjoyed the regular season despite its length, because it was a roller coaster ride filled with memorable games and stories. The tale of Lin’s emergence made for much better discussion than having the clueless talking heads bleating their awful hot takes on everything from current rankings to the GOAT debate. It was a genuine feel-good story that focused on a positive event, rather than a talking point that hinges on putting something or someone else down. We’ll see other players break out and even become superstars, but it won’t be as universally enjoyed.

Likewise, it’s far less likely that we’ll see the same excitement on the virtual hardwood that was inspired by Linsanity. Once again, when Jeremy Lin proved that he was no fluke or flash in the pan, we wanted to see his ratings updated appropriately in video games. He was a necessary addition in NBA Jam: On Fire Edition’s roster updates. There is still interest in seeing players accurately rated of course, but the conversation has shifted to the best MyPLAYER builds for online, and its competitive scene that doesn’t involve NBA players. If Linsanity happened today, the interest would be in creating a Jeremy Lin MyPLAYER build (assuming it had a viable meta, of course).

Grumpy Elder Millennial grumbling aside, Linsanity was a special time in a season that needed a positive story after the gloominess of the 2011 lockout. Many hardcore hoop heads that supported Jeremy Lin before his breakout were vindicated, and Knicks fans in particular had something to enjoy, if only for half a season. As for video games, it resulted in one of the biggest boosts that we’ve seen in an official roster update, as well as an addition to NBA Jam: On Fire Edition’s rosters that few would have expected before the season began. When it comes to NBA underdog stories, Linsanity is one of the best, with a notable impact on the virtual hardwood.

Support The NLSC on Patreon!
Become a patron at Patreon!
Subscribe
Notify of

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments