Abstract

In February 2012, Jeremy Lin—an undrafted backup point guard for the New York Knicks— became an international sensation, rising from obscurity to superstardom as he led a struggling, depleted Knicks team to a seven-game winning streak. “Linsanity” gripped the sports world, as Lin’s image vaulted to magazine covers and led sports broadcasts. Of course, central to Lin’s story, and his “underdog” status, was the fact that he was the first Asian American to rise to professional basketball stardom in a league dominated by African American and white players.