Jeremy Lin: 5 Things You Need to Know

USMagazine, Wednesday, February 15, 2012, 1:46pm (PST)

Just when you've almost recovered from Beiber Fever, there's another star sensation who's causing a fan frenzy -- his name is Jeremy Lin, he plays point guard for the New York Knicks and the effect he's had on the world lately has been coined "Linsanity."

Even if your NBA knowledge doesn't extend past knowing that Kim Kardashian's ex Kris Humphries plays on a team, Lin is one athlete whose star power at the moment is comparable to basketball superstars like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. Thing is, while James and Bryant have been around for years, Lin only caught his rising star on February 4. Here, Us Weekly lists the facts you need to know about the 23-year-old as the world watches him go from benchwarmer to household name.

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1. He's holds an Ivy League degree. The California-native traveled all the way across the country to attend Harvard University Cambridge, Ma. There, he majored in economics while excelling on the college's basketball team. He graduated in 2010 with honors.

2. He began his professional career as an underdog. Since he wasn't drafted into the pros upon graduation, Lin joined the Dallas Mavericks for their summer league, but was released on account of the competition. In July 2010, he signed with the Golden State Warriors in California, but was cut to free up a roster spot on December 9, 2011. Three days later he was picked up by the Houston Rockets, who then released him to sign a bigger name player. The New York Knicks signed him on Dec. 27.

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3. He's been living modestly. Although signed to the Knicks, Lin's over-$700,000 contract was still up in the air up until the early February deadline to guarantee terms. So while in limbo, Lin slept on his brother's couch in NYC, and most notably, slept at teammate Landry Fields' place the night before their game against the New Jersey Nets, which ended up being Lin's breakthrough moment. (His game stats include 25 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists, which helped lead the Knicks to a 99-92 win over the Nets.)  Now that he's signed to a one-year contract, the New York Post confirms that Lin is sub-letting a luxe Trump Towers apartment in Westchester, N.Y. from ex-Knick and former Warriors teammate David Lee.

4. His last name is perfect for garnering nicknames. Fans and media outlets have come up with several lexicons inspired by his surname. Notable monikers include: Linsanity, Lincredible, Linsational, Linvincible, Super Lintendo and Linspiration.

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5. Celebrities already love him. While director/producer and longtime Knicks fan Spike Lee has been going wild in his courtside seat, Lin's star power had reached outside Madison Square Garden, with stars like Aziz Ansari, Piers Morgan, Busta Rhymes, Sherri Shepherd and Rainn Wilson tweeting about him.

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