Kim Klement-US Presswire
First and foremost, let me just say that in the marketability factor, Jeremy Lin has it in spades. He’s young, exciting and quite likeable as a player. The Houston Rockets has also dealt with the Asian Market before as they had Chinese legend Yao Ming for the better part of a decade. Now they have Chinese-American Jeremy Lin entering the fold. From a marketing standpoint, the Rockets will win big with Lin, but can he live up to the enormous hype surrounding him after Linsanity blew up last year?
Lin definitely doesn’t lack drive and confidence. He plays with a chip on his shoulder and he is a very competitive guy. His leadership could flourish in Houston as he is probably one of the most recognizable players in the Rockets roster. But can he duplicate his magical run from last year? Now that he is no longer an unknown and he will be the starting point guard from day one, how will he react when defenses collapse to him and he will be heavily scouted by opposition?
As a player, Lin is far from being a finished product. He is turnover-prone and he sometimes makes poor decisions when handling the ball. He is also a little frail and bigger stronger defenders could take him out of his game. He plays with a lot of heart though, and his journey to the NBA was such a long and winding road that he could have a breakout year to prove to his doubters that last year’s showing was no fluke.
Lin could also benefit from playing with a young Rockets team that is clamouring for a leader. The Rockets have 5 players who are rookies and has an average age of 24 years old. Kevin Martin is their oldest and most established player, but it’s obvious he is no longer part of the Rockets’ future and he may get traded anytime soon.
Lin is in a very good position to succeed and the Rockets will also benefit from his popularity. He may not have the astounding numbers he had when he averaged 22.5 points and 8.7 assists in his first 12 starts with the New York Knicks, but he will have above average numbers and will belong in the upper echelon of Point Guards in the league.
