Jeremy Lin plays like a girl

I finally watched the NBAs new poster child Jeremy Lin. Yesterday, the Knicks played the defending champs Dallas Mavericks on national TV at Madison Square Garden.

All I kept saying to myself during the game was that Jeremy Lin plays like a girl.

And that’s a compliment.

My cousin, Harry Woodhouse, gave me the opportunity to be Tiffany Richardson’s assistant coach on the girl’s varsity basketball team at Village Charter School in 2005. That’s where I came to appreciate girl’s basketball.

The NBA is loaded with highly skilled and fundamentally sound players. Due to their immense talent, they play at a higher level than the fundamentals require.

Girls are highly skilled on the fundamentals and far exceed men in playing within the fundamental framework.

That’s what Jeremy Lin does. Every move he makes is so calculated and precise. He’s the guy you want kids to watch so they can understand point guard basic fundamentals.

What makes Lin so good is that he’s great at the fundamentals. 

He doesn’t seem to possess any special gift like speed, strength, or a high vertical leap. Yet, he can create space to take an open jump shot, get to the basket, and is a strong finisher with either hand. 

He is almost scoring at will against opponents he’s never played against. But, I think after seeing him a few times, the players will adjust to his style and find ways to make him work harder in an attempt to slow him down.

What makes that so hard to do is that he plays like a girl. Guy’s aren’t used to playing against guys that play like girls. I bet scouts will be looking for more guys that play like Jeremy.

Jeremy Lin has definitely created a huge buzz in the basketball world these last two weeks. When I saw him embarrass Dirk Nowitzki twice, I bought in to the Lin-Sanity.

I hope he can keep it up.