Jeremy Lin: Signature Shoes Prove NBA Is Ready to Accept Newest Superstar

Jeremy Lin is going to go from an NBA star to a superstar very quickly and the recent news regarding Nike's plans for the custom shoes he wore All-Star weekend is proof of that.

They are ready to take Lin to the top of the basketball world—a place that's general only populated by the very best the sport has to offer.

Nivedita Bhattacharjee of Reuters.com reports that Nike is going to start selling Lin's shoes to the general public:

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Nike Inc will start selling Jeremy Lin-themed shoes this weekend, cashing in on the New York Knick point guard's recent rise to worldwide fame.

Priced at $130, the shoes will be available on Nike's website.

Nike said it will launch the Nike Zoom Hyperfuse Low basketball shoes, built especially for Lin, this weekend in Orlando, Florida, where the NBA is holding its All-Star festivities.

"It's not a signature line but a version of the shoe that he's been wearing this season," the company told Reuters.

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This is a huge hurdle for the popular New York Knicks point guard and it's undoubtedly the next step in his rise to fame.

Nike doesn't sell just anybody's shoes. If that were the case, I would have my own pair branded for the whole world.

This is an honor that is usually only reserved for the best of the best and it's just one step away from actually having a signature line of shoes.

If you thought Lin was a big deal before, imagine how hyped he would be if Nike came out with his own line of product.

What Does This Mean?

It's very simple. The NBA is ready to accept Lin as a superstar, or at the very least brand him that way.

Don't be so naive to think that the league doesn't have their say with what players they promote and I wouldn't be surprised if they work hand-in-hand with the big company's and sponsors to achieve that promotion.

Lin has been a star so far—averaging 14.4 points, 5.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game while leading the Knicks back to relevancy—but the NBA and sponsors are hoping that he can take the next step.

In fact, they are pushing him to take the next step.

Lin being a superstar is great for everybody, but it's especially beneficial for the league and sponsors themselves.

Add in the fact that he's playing for the Knicks—a classic NBA franchise in the heart of the media world—and I can all but guarantee you that the powers that be are ready to brand him as a superstar.

Whether or not he is able to live up to the expectations still remains to be seen, but there is one thing for certain:

The NBA is ready to accept it's newest superstar.