Jeremy Lin. AP FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Long before “Linsanity” became a global phenomenon, there was Jeremy Lin, a devout Christian, whose unwavering faith and determination kept him through the cutthroat world of an Asian-American athlete trying to live his life-long dream of making it to the NBA.
Most know Lin as the undrafted player who was cut twice and slept on teammates’ couches before his out-of-nowhere reprisal in New York.
But Lin’s life didn’t just revolve around a basketball. It’s actually God first, family second then athletics for the former Knicks guard. And this is what “Linsanity,” a Sundance-acclaimed film based on the true underdog story of Lin, depicted. It was riveting and well, just downright “Linspiring.”
“It was really inspiring and what inspires me more about Lin is his faith in God,” commended Barangay Ginebra San Miguel forward Japeth Aguilar after seeing the homage to Lin in the film’s exclusive premier Monday night at the SM Mall of Asia Centerstage. “You can work hard but it’s really God that would get you there.”
“Linsanity” thoroughly tackled Lin’s life from his childhood, his playing years at Palo Alto Senior High School and Harvard University at the college level to his tightrope journey to the NBA.
The 88-minute documentary film featured actual video clips of Lin’s games — including the game where he steered Palo Alto to the title in his senior year, his 30-point effort to lead Harvard against highly-ranked University of Connecticut team which featured Kemba Walker or the Knicks’ seven-game run with Lin’s fingerprints all over it.
Also, “Linsanity” had insightful interviews with Lin’s coaches, agent, friends and family along with Lin’s thoughts throughout the film.
There was Lin referring to his D-League stint as the lowest point of his career and the game against the then New Jersey Nets in that day in February of 2012 where Madison Square Garden gave birth to Linsanity after Lin’s 25 points as his “much-needed breakthrough.”
The movie also dove into the social issues Lin had to go through. The harsh reality where playing at an Ivy League, where there were a lot of Asian students enrolled, didn’t make any difference to racism.
The film also showed the other side of Lin, comical, God-fearing and family-oriented as he sought for his parents and two brothers’ support and his faith as he worked his way into finding stability in the NBA.
Lin was cut by the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets, who later signed him to a three-year, multimillion contract.
The movie releases here Tuesday in theaters nationwide, two days earlier than in the US.