Jeremy Lin: NBA Fans Don't Need Media Fodder to Appreciate Linsanity

Jeremy Lin is a wonderful story and his unique narrative should be appreciated in the basketball world, but he's not a top point guard in the NBA.

He's not anywhere close.

Lin has come onto the scene with a bang and has since turned around a disappointing start to the New York Knicks' season, but the "Linsanity" has reached a point where it is getting out of control.

Averaging 26.8 points and 8.0 assists over a five-game sample size is all kinds of impressive, but it's imperative to remember that it's just five games.

Even in a shortened season of just 66 games, that accounts for less than 8 percent of the campaign.

He's also gone on his scoring barrage without both Amar'e Stoudemire (personal) and Carmelo Anthony (groin) in the lineup, but those are facts being largely overlooked by many wrapped up in the Lin hysteria.

How far has the hype gone?

An ESPN SportsNation poll asked voters for their choice of best point guard in the NBA.

The choices—Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo and Jeremy Lin.

Wait, what?!

The idea that such a question would be asked with a straight face is laughable.

How can anyone call Lin anything close to being the best point guard in the league at this juncture of his career?

It gets even better.

According to the results, Rose came in as top dog with a whopping 47 percent. Chris Paul came in a distant second at 25 percent and Jeremy Lin—yes, Jeremy Lin—came in third at 15 percent.

As for Rondo? He came in fourth with eight percent of the vote, while the "someone else" category, which included Deron Williams, Russell Westbrook, Steve Nash, Kyle Lowry, Stephen Curry, Ty Lawson, Tony Parker, John Wall and many other skilled players, accrued just six percent.

First thing first, the question in and of itself is absolutely ludicrous.

This is not a vendetta against Lin or his strong play. He is seizing the opportunity given to him by the Knicks and Mike D'Antoni and putting a stranglehold on the starting job with emphasis.

That doesn't mean he's suddenly in the conversation for the best point guard in the league.

Especially not after five games in a league filled with immense talent at the position.

Let's be real. How does a question filled with this much hyperbole get taken with such sincerity?

More importantly, do those who voted for Lin understand that they're taking him over any other point guard currently in the league when selecting him?

Nobody is taking Lin over Rose, Paul or Rondo. Nor is Lin getting the nod ahead of guys like D-Will, Westbrook, Tony Parker or Stephen Curry.

Lin would be lucky to have a career like 38-year-old Steve Nash, who made D'Antoni's system famous running it to perfection in Phoenix with the Suns.

So, what is the point of asking such a ridiculously loaded question?

To capitalize on the moment. To be a part of the headlines involving Lin.

There is a reason that Lin's name was first on the poll.

What was it? To attract a response from the masses, to create another topic of conversation with Lin's name at the epicenter.

To that end, the poll question did its job.

Logic and rationality have both been tossed out the window with this poll question, and instead replaced with obvious hyperbole in order to continue to milk a topic that has been exhausted to no end.

There are a lot of expectations being created and built up by the media for the rest of Lin's career, and it's coming on with extraordinary strength.

Why can't we just let the kid play and encourage his development as a legitimate NBA player?

Why are the comparisons even necessary?

Lin's story is too unique for all of that stuff. Let him stand on his own footing.

Let us keep things in perspective. Not everything has to have a controversial undertone.