Karl-Anthony Towns says Jeremy Lin made him fall in love with the New York Knicks long before he ever wore the jersey himself.
The answer works because it is not the obvious Knicks nostalgia pick. Towns did not name Patrick Ewing, Carmelo Anthony or another franchise headliner.
Instead, he pointed to Linsanity, the brief but unforgettable run that made Lin feel like the biggest story in basketball for a stretch in 2012.
Karl-Anthony Towns explains how Jeremy Lin made him a New York Knicks fan
Speaking in a recent SNY Knicks clip, Towns explained just how much Lin’s rise meant to him as a young fan.
“I truly want to give a shoutout to Jeremy Lin because he really made me a Knicks fan and had me at Modell’s. It was crazy trying to find his jersey,” Towns said.
He added, “I have so much love for Jeremy Lin, he’s one of my favorite Knicks of all time, one of my favorite players of all time. He made me so passionate about the Knicks.”
That is exactly what Linsanity was like. Lin’s sudden rise turned Madison Square Garden into the hottest ticket in town, and fans snapped up his jersey before the moment faded.
For Towns, it was not just about watching on TV. He was out there trying to find the jersey himself, and that energy helped shape his love for the Knicks.
Karl-Anthony Towns now carries Jeremy Lin memory into New York Knicks Finals stage
Towns also spoke about how surreal it feels to be sitting in Lin’s old seat, now as a Knicks player himself.
“It’s crazy now that I’m in this position, in this chair, talking to you guys as a Knicks player,” Towns continued.
“[They] showed me the other day Jeremy Lin on social [media], for him to even mention me was kind of crazy because the love I have for him and what he’s done for me and my Knicks fandom is second to none,” the Knicks star concluded.
That sense of things coming full circle is what makes the story meaningful. Lin’s time with the Knicks was short, but it left a mark on fans who, like Towns, ended up playing for the team themselves.
Now, Towns is part of a Knicks side that has reached the NBA Finals, with a chance to inspire the next generation in his own way.
Lin was a symbol of sudden hope. Towns now represents the franchise’s return to the game’s biggest stage. That is what makes the connection special. A brief, electric run helped turn Towns into a fan, and now he has the chance to give New York something even bigger to celebrate.
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