Jeremy Lin’s “Linsanity” run will always be one of the most unforgettable moments in NBA history. For a few months, Lin wasn’t just the face of the New York Knicks — he was a global phenomenon.
Now years later, after Lin officially said goodbye to basketball, former teammate Patrick Beverley has shared a wild story about just how massive Lin’s popularity really was.
“Jeremy Lin Had LeBron-Level Stardom”
When Lin signed with the Houston Rockets in 2012, Beverley was also making his way into the NBA. By the 2013-14 season, Beverley had earned a starting role, which meant Lin was sent to the bench.
That’s when Beverley says he got his first real taste of NBA internet hate.
“The day I started in the NBA and the day Jeremy Lin didn’t start, I got so much s— on the internet,” Beverley said on his podcast.
“I played with LeBron James in preseason with the Heat, then Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. After that, the next biggest stars I played with were James Harden and Jeremy Lin.”
Yes — Beverley straight-up put Lin’s popularity in the same sentence as LeBron James. That’s how big “Linsanity” really was.
The Internet vs. Patrick Beverley
Lin’s Rockets stint wasn’t as legendary as his Knicks breakout, but his fan support followed him everywhere. He still averaged 13 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists, but eventually lost his starting spot to Beverley.
And that’s when Beverley says things got brutal.
“The number of people Jeremy Lin had on the bus, when we landed, at the airport… I’ve never seen anything like it,” Beverley recalled.
“When they benched him and started me, they were cooking me. Absolutely destroying me online. To the point I had to turn off my internet.”
The Legacy of “Linsanity”
Lin’s time in Houston didn’t replicate his New York magic, and by 2019 he was out of the NBA. But Beverley’s story proves just how real Lin’s impact was.
For a brief moment, Jeremy Lin wasn’t just a star — he was a cultural movement. And even NBA vets like Beverley still remember how wild it was.
