Don’t you just love a feel-good, we’re-miles-apart-but-still-stay-in-touch-story?
Jeremy Lin and Mike D’Antoni are still friends, in case you had any doubts the coach who paved the way for Linsanity was out of touch with one of his former pupils.
Speaking with reporters ahead of the Houston Rockets’ 113-99 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, Lin indicated that he and Magic Mike still converse every now and again, per ESPN Los Angeles’ Dave McMenamin:
A lot has happened to Lin since his days being coached by D’Antoni, most notably signing a $25 million contract with Houston, receiving critical acclaim after releasing the documentary “Linsanity” detailing his rise to fame and just this week, inking a new endorsement deal with Adidas AG.
“We’ll still text back and forth throughout the season,” Lin said of this relationship with D’Antoni. “He came out and was there for the ‘Linsanity’ documentary premiere (at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood) and he let me work out at the Lakers’ facility when I was down there in L.A. this summer. So, I think we’ll always have a special bond just because of everything that happened.”
D’Antoni was directly responsible for Lin’s rise to prominence. Not that it was him running those pick-and-rolls, drilling those jumpers, dropping those dimes and hitting those game-winners. That was Lin. But it was D’Antoni who gave him an opportunity to play.
Amid the lockout-compacted 2011-12 season, the New York Knicks were struggling, devoid of any viable point guard options. In came Lin, who was in danger of being cut, and the rest is well-documented history. We could go deeper, but you’ve heard this story over and over and over and over. Linsanity was great. Whoopy!
Nearly lost in all the residual hoopla has been D’Antoni, who resigned before 2011-12 was out. Without him, Lin doesn’t earn his next contract with the Rockets. Without him, Lin doesn’t play. Something about D’Antoni and point guards click. Ask Steve Nash. Ask Lin. Hell, ask Kendall Marshall.
His secret? Letting players make mistakes, according to Lin:
Lin said that D’Antoni’s coaching style helped him grow.
“I think he lets guards play through their mistakes,” Lin said. “I think he gives them a lot of freedom and creativity and I think he’s really good at finding ways to get mismatches on the floor and he’s really innovative when it comes to that type of stuff. So, he does a great job and he makes you feel like (you’re important). He empowers you, basically.”
People are generally quick to criticize D’Antoni for his coaching style. Many of their complaints are warranted. His defensive ideals are especially ineffective. But D’Antoni doesn’t pretend to be a defensive juggernaut. You know what you’re getting from him. The Lakers knew what they were getting from him—an offensive savvy coach who can extract the most possible value out of role players and seldom-used or star point guards.
Color me biased. I’m one of D’Antoni’s biggest supporters, mostly because I’m a fan of the fast-paced offenses and no-name success. That’s what his system typically allows. Players who have flamed out elsewhere find success under him. While those players, like Lin, are boasting talent they’ve probably always had, D’Antoni is about giving them opportunity.
And sometimes, opportunity is all you need.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com.
