Basketball

Toronto Raptors' Jeremy Lin after NBA Finals: God is 'just as good at the mountaintop'

By Kevin Mercer Jun 14, 2019
Toronto Raptors guard Jeremy Lin, left, greets Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry after the Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, June 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Jeremy Lin recorded only one minute of action in the NBA Finals (Game 3). But that’s not to say he didn’t have an impact on the Toronto Raptors behind the scenes, in the practice gym, or in the locker room.

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He celebrated with the rest of the Raptors on Thursday night, as Toronto dethroned the two-time reigning NBA-champion Golden State Warriors. The Raptors hoisted the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy for the first time since their inception in 1995 after besting the Warriors 114-110 in a thrilling Game 6. Three of their four wins came on the road.

The headlines coming out of these NBA Finals will surround the injuries to Golden State stars Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, the possible end of the Warriors’ dynasty, and the Raptors’ Kawhi Leonard winning Finals MVP while helping bring the first NBA championship to Toronto. But Thursday’s victory was also a long time coming for Lin, Toronto’s reserve guard who captured the first NBA title of his career as well.

And in the midst of the championship celebration, the 30-year-old Lin took time to praise God and His everlasting goodness on Twitter:

“God is perfectly the same through the highs and the lows,” Lin’s tweet read. “Anyone who knows me knows I’ve believed this through all the down times, and He’s just as good at the mountaintop! #ALLglorytoGod #NBAchamps”

Lin’s Twitter page is littered with Biblical references and his bio says “to know Him is to want to know Him more.”

The first American of Chinese or Taiwanese descent to play in the NBA, Lin has said he wants everyone to know he plays basketball to bring glory to God’s name. He’s been outspoken about his faith in Christ ever since he entered the league with the Warriors back in 2010.

Lin bounced between the NBA and the G-League early in his pro basketball career, until he burst onto the national conscience in 2012 with the New York Knicks. He received extended playing time over the course of a couple of months and showcased his abilities by leading a Knicks turnaround. His incredible, seemingly out-of-nowhere play captured the hearts of New York City and millions of others around the globe. There were no more G-League stints in the aftermath of “Linsanity”; he had truly established himself as an NBA player.

Lin’s 2012 season with the Knicks ended as a result of a knee injury, and he became a free agent. He has been an NBA nomad of sorts ever since, suiting up for five other teams before he landed with the Raptors in February.

Lin, who will be 31 in August, was used somewhat sparingly this season. He recorded one minute in the NBA Finals and averaged 18.8 minutes per game during the regular season. His NBA future is uncertain, but he now has a championship on his resume. And Lin knows God will never leave him regardless of what is in store next.

“So much of what happens is out of our control,” Lin has said, “but prayer has been a place I have consistently found peace with God.”

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