Jeremy Lin: 5 Characteristics of Linsanity That Make Him Such a Special Player

There's not much that needs to be said about the Linsanity sensation.

Jeremy Lin has taken the world by storm, and whether you call it Linsanity, Super Lintendo or to Linfinity and Beyond, the way Jeremy Lin's been leading the New York Knicks has been absolutely inspirational.

What makes Jeremy Lin so special though?

Is it the fact that he's averaging 25.0 points and over nine assists per game this season in his nine starts, or is it merely that his inspirational story is enough to rally the entire Big Apple around him?

The answer to those questions is undoubtedly yes, but there's more depth to why Linsanity is such a sensational talent and player. 

Read on to find out five reasons why Jeremy Lin is such a special player.   

Jeremy Lin Is Absolutely Fearless

Disclaimer:  I might sound like a LeBron hater with this next statement, but I assure you I'm not.

If you put LeBron James and Jeremy Lin on the same team, on the same court, with 10 seconds left, trailing by two points, I would give the ball to Jeremy Lin nine times out of ten.

It's not that Jeremy Lin is a better, or more complete player than LeBron James, but he's fearless, and that's part of what makes him such a special player.

In only nine games in the NBA as a starter, Jeremy Lin has hit more big-time shots and game winners than most players do in their entire career, and he's done so by simply being the most fearless player on the court.

When his team needs him the most, Lin doesn't back off, he attacks. He doesn't do that because he's the biggest or best player on the court. He does so because he's not afraid to fail, and that's what makes him such a solid player and teammate.

While there will undoubtedly be games where Lin's fearless nature hinders him more than it helps, leading to too many turnovers and poor shot selection, I'd still take a fearless player like Lin over a hesitant NBA superstar everyday of the week.

Jeremy Lin Is Humble, Gives 100 Percent and His Teammates Rally Around That

Humility is the one word  that aptly describes the kind of player that Jeremy Lin is, and it's one of the reasons why the New York Knicks have rallied around him.

In a recent interview with ESPN's Rachel Nichols, Jeremy Lin talked about just how shocking and surprising this whole Linsanity thing has been for him. He talks about how he couldn't believe that people were buying his jerseys and talking about him on major sports networks like ESPN and NBA.com.

Jeremy Lin goes on to talk about how his perspective on playing the game changed, from his rough outing against the Boston Celtics to his breakout performance against the New Jersey Nets.

"Last year I was trying not to make mistakes. I was trying to fit in. This year I said, you know what, I've given everything I can to this year. I'm going to make sure I do it my way, and if it doesn't get me where I want to go, I can live with that. One thing I know is that if I go down, I'm going to go down fighting." 

That kind of perspective is what makes Lin so special. He's humble about his success, and he's going to give his all for the New York Knicks as long as he has the opportunity to do so.

Although at times Lin plays recklessly, turning the ball over more than he should, there's no doubt that he gives 100 percent, and his teammates feed off of that.

Without guys like Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire, the Knicks have thrived, and it's in large part because bench players have stepped up their game. They've stepped up their game because their following the humble leadership of Jeremy Lin, which is characterized by leading with action rather than words.  

Jeremy Lin Knows What It's Like to Struggle

While a lot of people might think that playing NCAA Division 1 basketball at an Ivy league school like Harvard University and signing an NBA contract as an NBA undrafted rookie isn't necessarily struggling, it's not all that easy either.

What a lot of people may not know is that Ivy League schools aren't allowed to grant athletic scholarships, so that means Jeremy Lin attended Harvard out of his own pocket, and however much financial aid he got.

Either way, Lin didn't have the typical Division 1 basketball experience, and he certainly didn't have the easiest road to the NBA either. After going undrafted in the 2010 NBA Draft, Lin signed with the Golden State Warriors, only to ride the bench for the majority of the season. The Warriors then waived the rights to Lin, who got picked up by the Rockets for two weeks before getting waived yet again.

The Knicks then picked up Lin after an injury to rookie point guard Iman Shumpert, and he continued to ride the pine. Just when the Knicks were about to release Jeremy Lin before his contract became guaranteed, coach Mike D'Antoni decided to give Lin a legitimate chance, and Linsanity ensued.

The point is, Jeremy Lin has had to work extremely hard for everything he's earned during his basketball career, and that's what makes him so special. Lin's journey to the NBA is a result of perseverance, which has led him to be a very humble and unassuming player that doesn't act like he's entitled to anything.

Lin's journey to the NBA was an absolute struggle, an that's built in him an appreciation for what he has, which is one of the reasons why he's such a special player. 

Jeremy Lin Leads by His Actions Instead of His Words

Leadership, in its truest form, is most valuable when it's rooted in action rather than mere words. That's exactly what makes Tim Tebow a legitimate leader, and it's the same reason why Jeremy Lin is so valuable to the Knicks.

Sure, the Knicks have veteran stars on their roster like Baron Davis, Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire, but their true leader is Jeremy Lin, and it's not because of what he says, it's because of what he does both on and off the court.

The way Linsanity puts his heart on the court night in and night out is exactly what the New York Knicks needed when they were sitting at 8-15 before Lin entered the starting lineup.

The Knicks didn't need another star player to score 25 plus points every night, although Lin's doing that too. The Knicks needed a player that they could rally around, a player that the Knicks' underperforming bench could be led by, and that player was none other than Jeremy Lin.

Lin didn't run his mouth about everything he wanted to bring to the Knicks' starting lineup, and he didn't guarantee anything to the media. Instead, Lin quietly walked onto the court, showed the Knicks the kind of leader he truly is and became the overnight sensation that he is today.

The basketball world could use more players like Jeremy Lin. Guys that put their actions before their words, and show everyone what they're made of through what they do on the court.

Jeremy Lin could score 10 points and grab five assists a night and he'd still be the Knicks' most valuable player because he is a true leader, and that's what the Knicks needed the most. 

Jeremy Lin Isn't Afraid to Make Mistakes

If you've followed the Linsanity hype train over the past few weeks, you've undoubtedly heard about one of the biggest weaknesses in Jeremy Lin's game, which is his proclivity to turn the ball over.

In nine games as a starter, Lin is averaging 5.9 turnovers per game, and while that average leads the NBA, it proves one thing. It proves that Jeremy Lin isn't afraid to take risks and subsequently make mistakes.

While Lin's leading the league in turnovers per game, he's also leading the league in assists over the Knicks' last nine games. There's no debating that Lin needs to protect the ball better, but the fact that he still manages to tally so many assists shows that his fearless approach to the game is more of a valuable asset than it is a liability.

A lot of players in the NBA play the game afraid to make mistakes, which holds them back from achieving their potential. Fortunately for the Knicks, Jeremy Lin doesn't approach the game of basketball that way.

Lin's fearless approach to the game could be seen as a weakness and a strength for the Knicks, but based on the fact that Lin's boldness has ignited the Knicks, I'd say it's safe to declare it's a strong point for New York.

Leadership is something that the Knicks lacked early on in the season, and little did they know their best leader was sitting on the bench the whole time.

Fearless leadership is what wins NBA Championships, and that's exactly what Lin brings to New York.

Thanks for checking out the article.  Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @peteremerick.