BASKETBALL '07: Into the Deep End

The pressure is on for the Harvard men’s basketball team. With the nation’s watchful eye waiting to see whether the Crimson will sink or swim under the leadership of new head coach Tommy Amaker, the young Harvard team will be looking to its underclassmen to step up to the challenge. Leading the way is sophomore standout Jeremy Lin.

Lin, who is one of six returning sophomores on a team made up largely of this age group, is leagues ahead of his classmates in experience. Playing in all 28 of the Crimson’s games last season, the 6’2, Palo Alto, Calif., native is a valuable asset to a Harvard team that is ranked second to last in minutes played by returners for the entire Ivy League.

“[Lin is] one of the few sophomores who got playing time last year, so he’s another guy who’s going to have to lead the team,” says captain Brad Unger, the lone senior on this year’s squad. “We’re expecting a lot, and we know he’ll deliver.”

Amaker also has high hopes for Lin as they embark on their first season together.

“We want him to blossom, to be a high-flyer, and we need that from him,” Amaker says.

The bar has thus been raised for Lin, who averaged 4.8 points per game while shooting 41.5 percent from the floor last year and also knocked down an impressive 81.8 percent from the free-throw line. He also registered 70 rebounds and 28 steals last year.

Lin will also be building on other, less quantifiable skills, such as awareness of his surroundings on the court and a high energy level.

“Jeremy’s a pretty talented kid,” Amaker says. “He’s a kid that can put points on the board quickly, he can play long stretches without getting tired—his energy level does not drop off.”

However, as Lin and his teammates look to improve on last season’s 12-16 record, he will not only be asked to advance in his fundamentals, but he will also be assuming many new and diverse roles on the court. Playing at point guard, shooting guard, and small forward, Lin’s versatility will be tested in each and every game.

“I’m just trying to do whatever needs to be done that day to win,” Lin says. “Sometimes it might be passing, rebounding, defense, scoring—I’m just going to try to do what the team needs that game.”

His adaptability, coupled with his boundless energy on the court, could prove to be a major weapon in Lin’s athletic arsenal. These skills would be especially dangerous for the Crimson’s opposition if Lin continues to gain experience and composure over Harvard’s first few games, becoming more able to channel and control his intensity.

“He has a fearlessness about him,” Amaker says. “That’s good—as long as he plays under control.”

Lin also recognizes that this lack of control is an area he needs to improve in.

“I have a tendency to play too fast,” Lin says. “[Amaker] just wants me to trust myself and to slow down a little bit.”

However, if Lin’s dynamism on the court can be harnessed, he could prove to be a force to be reckoned with.

“[Lin] is a high-energy, high-octane, hard-charging player, and I love that,” Amaker says. “I think he’s got a chance to be an unbelievable player.”

—Staff writer Alexandra J. Mihalek can be reached at amihalek@fas.harvard.edu.