Michael Jordan: Jeremy Lin Is Charlotte Hornets' 'Biggest Acquisition'
Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan thinks the team made their best off-season move in acquiring Jeremy Lin.
The NBA legend, regarded by many as the greatest basketball player of all time, gave an interview with the Xinhua News Agency during the Hornets' visit to China. Jordan heavily praised Lin's skills, calling the point guard the best new edition to the team.
"We just got Jeremy Lin, who I think is going to be our biggest acquisition. His penetration, his shooting capability, his point guard savvy, he can really pass the basketball, his energy about the game of basketball something," Jordan said.
Jeremy Lin set the sports world and social media in a frenzy in 2012, when the undrafted player from Harvard went on a scoring tear, leading the New York Knicks on a winning streak. Since "Linsanity," J-Lin has settled down into the role of serviceable bench player for teams like the Houston Rockets and LA Lakers.
On paper, it would seem the best player the Hornets acquired was small forward Nicolas Batum. However, Lin has been having a very successful preseason so far, with a very impressive 17-point debut against the Orlando Magic. He has maintained consistency as well. Sporting a new spiky hairstyle, Lin went off for 16 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists in his game against the Clippers on Saturday in China.
Jeremy Lin's play style should fit well with the Hornets, with their new strategy to focus heavily on 3-point attempts. The league seems to be moving in that direction, as evidenced by coach Steve Clifford's statements to the media.
"If you look at trends in this league, last year of any statistic 3-point shooting percentage was the No. 1 factor in why teams won," Clifford told CBS Sports. "The five best 3-point shooting teams were the four teams that played in the conference finals and the Clippers. All five of them were top 10 all-time in the NBA. That's the way this league has gone."
Last year, Lin shot 39.6 percent from beyond the arc, so Clifford and Jordan may have a lot to look forward to.
Is this the return of Linsanity? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
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