Former Harvard co-captain Jeremy Lin scored a career-high 25 points in last night's New York Knicks win over the Nets.
Last week we reported that Jeremy Lin ’10 was nominated for an ESPY Award for “Breakout Athlete of the Year.” Today, despite his breakthrough performance, his future appears much less certain.
Lin, who had previously been named to the USA Select Team, will not be participating in the Team USA camp beginning July 6. This is because of Lin’s status as a restricted free agent, a status that will remain unchanged until Lin becomes eligible to be signed on July 11.
Former Harvard forward Andrew Van Nest ’12 will be playing for the Boston College Eagles next season as a graduate student fulfilling his last season of eligibility. The 6’10”, 230-pound forward was part of a senior class, along with former co-captains Keith Wright ’12 and Oliver McNally ’12, which oversaw the transition of the Crimson basketball program from traditional doormat to Ivy League champion under the tutelage of Harvard coach Tommy Amaker.
Coming into his freshman season, Van Nest was the highest ranked member of the Class of 2012 to matriculate to Harvard. During his senior season at the prestigious basketball prep school Northfield Mount Herman, high school home to current Crimson standouts Laurent Rivard and Matt Brown, Van Nest received offers from Davidson, Northwestern, and Penn, and was considered by many to be a steal for Amaker and his coaching staff.
After posting impressive times in the 200-meter butterfly this morning, two Harvard athletes, Kate Mills ’11 and Courtney Otto ’15, advanced to the semifinals, which will be held tonight at the US Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb.
Jeremy Lin’s ’10 mercurial rise from the end of the bench to the cover of Sports Illustrated (twice) was one of the biggest sports stories of 2012. Those two weeks of magic have also been amply rewarded, Lin is likely to land a sizable contract, especially in light of a recent ruling, a spot on the sophomore squad in the All-Star weekend Rising Stars game and even recognition as one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.
The Knick’s guard might just add an ESPY to that list. The ESPYs, sports’ version of the Oscars, will be held on July 11 and can be watched at 9 pm ET on ESPN. Lin is nominated in the “Best Breakthrough Athlete” category and can be voted for here.
2011 Ivy League Player of the Year and 2012 second-team All-Ivy forward Keith Wright ’12 has spent the last few months preparing for the NBA Draft, which begins tomorrow, June 28.
Wright has worked out for a number of teams, including the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, and Golden State Warriors.
Wright will most likely go undrafted, but has a chance of being picked in the late second round. At 6’8”, Wright is undersized at the 4, but lacks the midrange game and athleticism of a 3. Working in his favor are an array of post-moves and a nose for the ball on the offensive glass.
