"He was traded an hour later": Fans revisit Jeremy Lin's iconic waive-off of Kobe Bryant in front of Lakers faithful

NBA: Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors - Source: Imagn
Fans revisit Jeremy Lin's iconic waive-off of Kobe Bryant in front of Lakers faithful - Source: Imagn

Jeremy Lin, who rose into stardom during his Linsanity run with the New York Knicks, announced his retirement from basketball on Saturday, Aug. 30. He played nine seasons in the NBA with a championship win in his final year with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.

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Lin made numerous iconic moments in his career, including one that involved Kobe Bryant during his time with the LA Lakers in the 2014-2015 season. There, Lin had an audacious play where he waived off Bryant before drilling a fadeaway three to beat the shot clock.

The clip has since resurfaced shortly after Lin's retirement.

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NBA fans reacted to the clip, quipping numerous jokes about Lin's audacity during his time with the Lakers.

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Meanwhile, others commended Lin for having the confidence and taking the shot.

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Lin, a Harvard graduate, went undrafted in the 2010 NBA draft before landing a spot with the Golden State Warriors. There, he played just 28 games in his rookie season.

In the 2011-2012 season, the Knicks took a chance with Lin, and he did not disappoint. In a 26-game stretch midway through the season, Lin captured fans' attention after putting up 18.5 points, 7.7 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.0 steals and drilling numerous game-winning shots to help the team in their playoff push.

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He then got paired up with James Harden in the Houston Rockets, before bouncing around the league throughout his career.

Since leaving the NBA, Lin has played in Taiwan to continue his professional career.

Jeremy Lin gets candid on basketball retirement

In a statement, Jeremy Lin got candid about his basketball journey, saying that he lived out his biggest dreams during his career.

“It’s been the honor of a lifetime to compete against the fiercest competitors under the brightest lights and to challenge what the world thought was possible for someone who looks like me," Lin said. "I’ve lived out my wildest childhood dreams to play in front of fans all around the world. I will forever be the kid who felt fully alive every time I touched a basketball.”

Lin finished his NBA career with averages of 11.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game after playing with eight teams.

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Edited by Rob Andrew Lo
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