Jeremy Lin Asks For Prayers, Struggling With Idea Of ‘Lost Season’
Jeremy Lin is lamenting how his injury-filled New York City return and first season with the Brooklyn Nets has turned into a “year of prime time down the drain.”
Lin recently took to social media to share those very sentiments after word leaked that he could miss up to five more weeks of action after re-aggravating his left hamstring while going through rehab work.
The 28-year-old veteran guard has already missed 34 of the team’s first 46 games nursing an assortment of hamstring strains.
When he’s been able to perform, Lin has been just what the Nets and rookie coach Kenny Atkinson thought he would be, averaging 14 points, six assists, and three rebounds in the team’s high-speed, motion offense.
But now the pain of missing so much time seems to be getting to the usually affable swingman. His latest setback marks the third time this season that he has missed a stretch of multiple games, with his absences being well on par for him to sit more than half the team’s 82-game season.
Lin recently expressed optimism that he would be able to return soon, but that was before his practice mishap and before all of his emotions at least partly got the better of him.
“I have all the natural emotions that comes with an injury,” he wrote on Facebook. “Some moments I feel super motivated. Some moments I feel defeated. Some moments I want to yell at God in frustration. Why now? Why not when I was a backup point guard the last 4 years? All the hard work I put into training, developing a new shot, regaining my confidence, having my desired role, the right coach and the right system. A year of my prime down the drain.”
Later, he sent out another heartfelt message, asking for God’s help and the prayers of his many fans.
“Please pray for my hamstring rehab,” he posted. “I’ve had a roller coaster of emotions that have ranged from determination to discouragement to optimism to defeat to anger to confusion. I’m hoping to be joyful and grateful in the rehab process.”
Lin also asked fans to pray that he and his teammates will be able to improve on their league worse 9-37 start to the season and that they “see Jesus fill out their locker room.”
The New York Post recently reported Lin’s spirits appeared to be at least somewhat raised when he was spied partying and celebrating at the Manhattan nightspot Up&Down.
“He looked in high spirits,” said a source.
Lin previously made a splash and NBA name for himself in New York during a 2012 stretch with the cross-borough rival Knicks that came to be revered as “Linsanity.”
During a 12-game stretch before the All-Star break, he averaged 22.5 points and 8.7 assists in leading the Knicks on a 9-3 run. As a starter over 26 games, he averaged 19 points and eight assists, including a 10-game outbreak where his numbers hit 25 points, nine assists, and 49 percent shooting per night.
The Nets signed Lin to a three-year, $36 million deal in summer free agency and Atkinson immediately raved about how he planned to turn over the offense to him and All-Star center Brook Lopez in hopes they would adeptly form one of the league’s top pick-and-roll tandems.
After several seasons of having to earn his NBA stripes and largely being a reserve, Lin readily let it be known that he relished the chance to lead his own team.
“I always wanted to be a leader,” the former Lakers and Rockets reserve said after signing with the Nets. “Three months after I joined the Rockets, James Harden was on board so he became the leader. The situation with the Lakers wasn’t good either. I just didn’t have the opportunity to prove myself. But I think I have a pretty good chance this time.”
[Featured Image by Michael Reaves/Getty Images].
