Harvard’s Tommy Amaker Proud of Jeremy Lin, Says He Is Ideal Fit With Knicks

by abournenesn

Feb 14, 2012

Harvard's Tommy Amaker Proud of Jeremy Lin, Says He Is Ideal Fit With KnicksBefore the phenomenon of Linsanity emerged or the lanky asian guard even started a game for the New York Knicks, Jeremy Lin was a student at Harvard University playing basketball for Tommy Amaker.

Lin played for Amaker for three seasons at Harvard, but the current Crimson head basketball coach watched Lin blossom into the star he has quickly become in the NBA.

Amaker expressed his pride in Lin's accomplishments in a recent interview with ESPN saying "It’s pretty neat to see how he’s kind of become a sort of global figure and a global star." Amaker then added "it’s nice to see he’s getting recognition for who he is in addition to being an outstanding basketball player."

A clearly excited Amaker proceeded to describe Lin by referring to him as one of many things.

"Being a Harvard grad, being an Asian-American kid, being an outstanding basketball player, being a person whose faith is very important to him, being an incredible person, being a great teammate," Amaker said.

This year Harvard stands much improved from some of the teams that Lin was part of, sitting at 21-3 overall and atop the Ivy League standings witha  7-1 record. But still, Amaker credits Lin with the ascension of the NCAA tournament bound Crimson.

"He helped elevate our program to wherever we are now," Amakers said. "That kid is directly responsible for this thing moving in this direction."

Amaker went on to discuss Lin's role with the New York Knicks and how the talented guard is a perfect fit for Knicks' coach Mike D'Antoni's offensive system.

"I think the style of play, the fit there, is ideal for Jeremy,” Amaker said of his place with the Knicks. “The spacing the floor, the pick-and-roll, I think it’s ideally suited to who he is.”

Lin is averaging 11.9 points and just over four assists per night in 14 games with the Knicks this season. But the 6-foot-3 point guard has propelled New York to six straight wins and is averaging a far improved 27.2 points and 8.8 assists over his five game run in the starting lineup.

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