NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week.
136 points in his first 5 starts - the most by any NBA player since 1976.
A 3-point, game-winning clutch shot.
Jeremy Lin is the story right now. But there's a story behind the story:
- As a high school senior, he led his team to a 32-1 record and state championship. However, he was passed-over by college basketball recruiters. Not once. Not twice. Three rejections (including Stanford, which was practically across the street from him!).
- Lin landed at Harvard, which known for producing presidents, not basketball pro's.
- Lin was under-valued and not selected in the NBA Draft. Again, the feeling of not being good enough.
He finally made it into the NBA, only to experience deeper rejections during this current season:
- He was cut by the Golden State Warriors. Cut is another word for fired.
- He was cut by the Houston Rockets.
- He played on four NBA developmental teams.
- He then found himself at the end of the Knicks bench. He did not even get in the game for 13 of his first 22 games.
- Hours before the Super Bowl, Lin was thisclose to being cut a third time. By the Knicks.
And then opportunity crossed paths with Lin's readiness. Unleashing Lin-sanity.
You see, there's always a story behind the story of emerging greatness.
Maybe someone rejected you. Painfully. Perhaps you've told you're not good enough.
Jeremy Lin's story tells us that failure doesn't have to be the end.
Other people don't get to define you. Your story is yours to write.
God is in the redemption business. He loves developing second acts.
So take a risk. Jump. Fail harder.
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