‘Very different,’ says Jeremy Lin of stints with Knicks, Rockets

Jeremy Lin answers questions from Filipino reporters. PHOTO BY CELEST FLORES/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Jeremy Lin went from being on the brink of getting cut from New York’s roster to a point guard worth $25 million for Houston in barely a year’s span.

But while it’s hard to see Lin and not think of his heroics for the Knicks, the 25-year-old guard believes that that his stint with New York and Houston are “very different.”

“Different times in my life. Different stage, different roles, different system. I can’t really compare the two,” Lin told reporters on Tuesday at the Rockets’ media availability at the Mall of Asia Arena.

After his phenomenal and well-documented stint in the Big Apple, Lin came into the Rockets’ roster bearing huge expectations along with his contract, but lesser burden with James Harden’s signing.

He didn’t need to be that guard who had to deliver day in and day out to provide jolt to a flat-lining Knicks’ bid, but Lin didn’t really play a major role in Houston.

Lin, an aggressive playmaker, normed 13.4 points, three rebounds and six dimes in 82 regular season games for Houston before getting injured in the playoffs against Oklahoma City.

With a league’s best center Dwight Howard on board, Lin could have a more defined role in this revamped Houston roster as the 2013-14 season kicks off on Oct. 29.

But until then, the undrafted guard whose rags-to-riches story never fails to inspire will just put in the work and be ready, as what he has always done.

“I just gotta work hard and improve. Some stuff is out of my control and some stuff I have to surrender to the Lord,” Lin said. “My goal is just to get better every year.”

Lin, along with the rest of the Houston Rockets, is in the Philippines for the first-ever NBA Global Games.