Great Expectations for Jeremy Lin

By Elizabeth Delaney
Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lin
Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lin goes up to the basket during the 2015 NBA Global Games against Los Angeles Clippers in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, October 11, 2015. REUTERS/STRINGER

Michael Jordan seems to be pretty excited about how Jeremy Lin is producing so far. And the fast-rising basketball star has a lot on his shoulders. The Examiner stated that Jordan expects him to breathe some new life into the Hornet's inoperative offense, and Slam Online has quoted Jordan as saying that Lin's penetration, shooting capability, point guard savvy, ability to really pass the ball, and his energy about the game of basketball are all skills and qualities that will bring the Hornets to the new level needed to maintain a winning streak.

The American-Asian has had his fair share of setbacks. Being cut from the Lakers was one of the hardest hitting blows. That experience and several other disappointments caused him to go through a season of discouragement and self-doubt. At the same time, these things also caused him to take a deeper look at what success truly is and what it means for him on a personal level. The Christian Post reports that he created a YouTube video in which he recounts how he chose to use those challenges as a springboard to learn to trust God in a more profound way with his hopes and dreams.

Jeremy Lin's Christian faith has always been very interwoven into his life. Lin's boldness in being willing to, "give all the praise to God," even in the midst of "Linsanity", is something that has captured the attention of many Christians. In fact, Linsanity director Evan Leong was initially drawn to him and decided to make the documentary for that very reason, according to the Christian Post. Leong said of Lin that, "He was a character that you really want to further explore and share the story so that he can be a role model for the generation of tomorrow."

Leong also notes that Lin's faith is, "a huge component of who he is and how he lives, and so we had to make sure that that's part of it in this film. We obviously wanted to explore other things of who he is; Asian-American, Ivy League, Bay Area, underdog, but if you didn't include all those, or you took one of those out, then you're not really exploring who he is as a person. His faith is really important to who he is."

Jeremy Lin has said that he is "surprised" by the willingness of basketball fans in China to extend their support to him, according to Yahoo News. Part of their support could be connected to the fact that he is of Asian descent and so successful in what is often considered a classic American sport. But as outspoken as Lin is about his faith, it is also very likely that the underground Christain church in China also appreciates him. According to ft.com, it is estimated that by 2030, China will have more Christians than any other country in spite the persecution and difficult life that they face every day.

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