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"That was really disappointing" - Jeremy Lin opens up about the biggest what-if of his Knicks career
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- "That was really disappointing" - Jeremy Lin opens up about the biggest what-if of his Knicks career
Linsanity was and will forever be one of the greatest sports stories ever. For a few magical weeks, an undrafted guard who had bounced around the league was suddenly leading the New York Knicks to a much-needed surge, becoming the biggest story in sports.
What made everyone remember it fondly was how Jeremy Lin went from sleeping on his brother's couch to lighting up Madison Square Garden almost overnight. He rescued the struggling Knicks and became an international sensation as fans anticipated his next game/
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But as quickly as Linsanity arrived, it disappeared. While contract disputes and team issues played a role in ending Linsanity and Lin's Knicks tenure as a whole, it was really an injury that ended the fairytale. And years later, the guard still views the unfortunate timing of the whole thing as the biggest what-if of his career.
Linsanity's painful end
Lin had become the undeniable face of the sports underdog story. During his breakout 11-game stretch, he averaged 25/0 points and 9.2 assists per game and hit iconic clutch moments and even outplayed stars like Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki .
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The Knicks looked revitalized with Lin running the offense, and for the first time in years, New York appeared to have found their point guard of the future. But then disaster struck as near the end of March, Lin suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee and underwent surgery shortly before the playoffs.
Initially, there was optimism that he could return during the postseason, but the injury was just too devastating. And reflecting on that period, Lin admitted how painful it was to watch the postseason run he was poised to be in from the sidelines.
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"At the end of the season, I had the torn meniscus. We get into the first round, and I am doing everything I can to come back, and I just didn't have enough time," he shared . "The injury was something that genuinely was still affecting me by the start of the next season with the Rockets and something that I was kind of working through."
"I did try to do everything I could to get back. Obviously, I am hyper-competitive. I've waited my whole life for this opportunity. Linsanity happens, and how gut-wrenching it was not to be on the floor and to not be able to compete," he added.
The Knicks eventually faced the Miami Heat , who were the team many believed, including Lin himself, really ended Linsanity , in the first round of the playoffs, losing to the Big Three in five games, bringing a disappointing conclusion to one of the most exciting seasons in franchise history.
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For Lin, the frustration extended way beyond the postseason. It's important to understand that, after years of fighting for a roster spot and proving the doubters wrong, he finally reached the point he had spent his whole life working towards. Yet, when the playoffs arrived, he could only watch.
"I don't think many people can truly understand that unless you have been in that position before or something close to that. And so that was just really disappointing to me," stated Lin.
"But injuries are a part of basketball, and that's just something that will always be a huge what-if in my mind, like what if I was healthy?" he continued.
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A first chapter of a career-long battle
The torn meniscus ultimately marked the beginning of the cloud that would haunt Lin throughout the rest of his career. After leaving New York for the Houston Rockets , and then later with the Los Angeles Lakers and Charlotte Hornets , his momentum was continually disrupted by injuries.
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Perhaps the most heartbreaking moment came in 2017 when he suffered a devastating patellar tendon injury during his first game of the season with the Brooklyn Nets . By then, Lin had established himself as a solid player capable of providing minutes off the bench. But that injury totally hindered the rest of his career.
There is a possibility, though, that if he hadn't gotten a torn meniscus, his career would have panned out differently. He could've created more magic in the postseason, despite the Miami Big Three being the better team on paper, and could have gotten an extension after that.
But even if injuries prevented Lin from reaching his full potential in New York, they really can't erase what he accomplished. His career ultimately ended with a ring during 2019 with the Toronto Raptors , and Linsanity influenced many people, especially Asians, to pursue their dreams in hopes of becoming the next him. Injuries or not, he already made an impact, and that just might be a good trade-off for his great what-if.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jun 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
