The 7 Elements of LINSANITY!

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There has been no bigger sports story over the past few weeks than the meteoric rise of New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin.

He’s taken over the sports media world over the past few weeks, capturing the minds of fans in a nearly Tebow-esque manner.

Let’s examine the 7 Elements of…LINSANITY…and why he may not be just a flash in the pan.

1) Ethnicity.

Let’s get this one over with first. He’s the first Asian-American player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent. Being the FIRST to do something is newsworthy, no matter what Floyd Mayweather, Jr., thinks. Also of note, Asian Americans make up roughly 5% of the US population.

2) Education.

Lin played at Harvard. Anytime an Ivy Leaguer finds success in a major professional sports organization, it will be newsworthy. Book smarts + athletic ability = huge upside. In an industry where most players enter the league with barely a year of college under their belt, the educated Harvard man stands tall.

3) Market.

He’s in New York. The Knicks have been starving for relevancy for years now. So there is a fan base and media corps ready to jump on something hot and ride the wave. You can also say that being close to ESPN’s home base of Bristol, CT, plays a role, too. Trust me, Linsanity wouldn’t be so Linsane if he played in Milwaukee (no disrespect meant to the fine city, but it’s the truth).

4) Timing.

The Super Bowl is over. Spring Training doesn’t fully kick-in for another few weeks. The Peyton Manning story is dragging. Basically, if there was ever a moment for a basketball star to emerge, this is it.

5) Excellence.

The #1 component is his out-of-this-world play. He has scored more points in his first five starts than any other player in NBA history. Think about that. He is off to the best start ever, topping Michael Jordan, Shaq, Bill Russell and others. Hitting the game-winning 3-pointer on the road against Toronto on Tuesday will only increase the hype. But the fact of the matter is, he’s bringing the steak and the sizzle.

6) Connection.

Watch a Knicks game and you’ll see shirts, signs, posters, jerseys (which are selling quite nicely – by some accounts, the most NBA jerseys sold since Feb. 4), face paint and more. People want to see this guy succeed.

7) Instant Value.

On Monday, Forbes claimed his “brand” was worth $14 million. Three weeks ago, nobody knew who he was. And that claim was made BEFORE Tuesday’s game-winning shot. I’m certain brands are trying to strike while the iron is hot and maximize his promotional value – or get in on “the cheap.”

This was illustrated/mocked by Stephen Colbert Monday night on Comedy Central. The man is a cross-over star now.

Will the Legend of Lin continue to grow?

Or will he fizzle and disappear the the back of the bench in a few weeks?

At this point, does it matter?

His one-of-a-kind background and record-settling plat has made him a phenomenon. He’s a made man and a marketing machine in waiting.