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One of the biggest breakout success stories ever to not only come out of the D-League, but the NBA as well, Jeremy Lin sat down for GQ for a cover story in their upcoming November 2012 issue.
Of course, there was much for him to touch on as it related to his run of "Linsanity" in the Big Apple last season. Why, in a rather shocking move, did the Knicks opt not to retain him this offseason? What was Lin's take on the situation? How did the Harvard grad feel in the days leading up to the decision? All can be read about in the thorough, informative, and entertaining piece.
But something Lin also discusses, as he all the while fails to forget his roots, is his time in the D-League as he continued to fight for a chance to make his mark in the NBA.
As Lin rose above and shocked the entire nation with his tremendous success, he did so while performing in front the scrutinizing eyes of the New York City media. Still, the guard nevertheless recognizes his time in the D-League as one of the more trying experiences he's had thus far.
Such an acknowledgement from a player of Lin's stature and now notoriety just shows much players in the NBADL must continue grinding as they inch closer to that opportunity. At certain points, playing in the minors can undoubtedly be humbling for these same NBA hopefuls. It's all about catching the eye of an NBA executive or two, and as Lin notes, hopefully you use your time there to get noticed for a positive enough contribution.
He was undrafted out of college and spent a year-plus in the Development League or at the very end of an NBA bench. "I'm going to be honest, playing in D-League games is tough," he says. "We got way more fans at Harvard games. It feels like a demotion, and it feels like if you have one bad game then the thought gets in your brain: I might get cut."