Jeremy Lin Moving Up from Teammate's Couch to Manhattan Apartment

Whenever the tale of Jeremy Lin's emergence with the New York Knicks is told, it always begins with a couch. 

On Feb. 3, 2011, the night before Lin burst onto the scene with a 25-point performance in a 99-92 New York Knicks win against the New Jersey Nets, he slept on the couch of teammate Landry Fields.

It wasn't just that he was crashing for the night at a friend's house, rather Lin was so unsure of his future with the team that he didn't bother finding a legitimate place to live.

The couch has become such a symbol for Lin that there was talk of him assisting teammate Iman Shumpert in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest by using the couch as a prop for Shumpert to leap over. However, tendinitis will prevent Shumpert from participating.

We all know what has transpired since that night in early February.

Lin has become one of the most exciting stories in basketball, fueled by his humble beginnings and clutch performances on the court, including outdueling Kobe Bryant and hitting last-second, game-winning shots. 

But now, Lin won't be sleeping on any couches in the near future.

As reported by the Wall Street Journal, Lin has now secured a two-bedroom Manhattan rental in the W New York Downtown Hotel overlooking the Statue of Liberty, for an estimated $13,000 a month, following a guaranteed contract with the Knicks.

He is now a legitimate NBA superstar, living a legitimate NBA lifestyle. He has arrived. But as Lin transitions to much more comfortable sleeping arrangements and much more smothering defenses, it's up to him to prove the magic was never in the couch to begin with.