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February 26, 2012

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Lin stars at Orlando All-Star fiesta

JEREMY Lin was as comfortable in front of a crowd as he is on the court.

Lin shared his story on Friday in front of about 100 people during an entertaining press conference before playing in the Rising Stars Challenge consisting of rookies and second-year players.

Lin isn't an All-Star, but he starred on Friday in Orlando.

"Just to be here and to see the company and all the players that are here," Lin said, "it's just been unbelievable, and I'm just trying to take it all in and embrace it and enjoy it every step of the way."

The National Basketball Association determined there would be too many reporters and cameras to have Lin meet with the media on Friday along with the other players in the Rising Stars Challenge. So the league gave him his own availability, territory that only goes to Commissioner David Stern.

Lin's first question was from Knicks teammate Landry Fields, who asked his backcourt mate if he knew who the MVP of the San Francisco Pro-Am was in 2009 and 2010. Lin, from the Bay Area, knew it was Fields.

"He played for the Oakland Believers, and he doesn't have a lot of friends," Lin said.

Fields is Lin's closest friend on the Knicks, and Lin spent the night before his breakout game sleeping on Fields' couch since his brother's place, where he had been staying, was unavailable.

Lin has led the Knicks to a 9-3 record since joining the rotation on February 4. He feared for his NBA career only days earlier, praying that he wouldn't be cut before a January 27 game in Miami.

Even with his stellar play, Lin wasn't supposed to be here, his emergence coming after the Rising Stars rosters were set. He planned to be on a beach somewhere, only to be drafted by Shaquille O'Neal for Team Shaq - who never gave Lin the word himself. "Shaq missed practice this morning, so I don't know, I think we should fine him or something, because we were all expecting him to be there."

Lin scored two points in the game, logging only 9 minutes after playing on back-to-back nights. Even his parents got some camera time, both shown looking at their cell phones and ignoring orders to kiss during a "Kiss Cam" segment while Lin looked on in amusement from the bench.

Lin's contract for the rest of the season became guaranteed two weeks ago, though he hasn't splurged on anything yet.

 

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