Jeremy Lin, author of iconic 'Linsanity' run in the NBA, announces retirement

MANILA, Philippines — There was a time when Jeremy Lin had the basketball world in the palm of his hands.

Back in 2012, the New York Knicks were headed to another mediocre season. Injuries pushed the Knicks to a subpar record despite the performances of stars Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony.

But then, “Linsanity” happened.

Lin, who was relatively unknown, burst into the scene and led the Knicks to a win streak. Game after game, more believers were taken in the “Lin-sane” trip, which included a game winner over the Toronto Raptors and a 38-point performance against Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Lin sparked the Knicks to the playoffs with a 36-30 win-loss record with averages of 14.6 points, 6.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game. This was vastly different from his 2.6 points and 1.4 assists per game in his year with the Golden State Warriors the season prior.

However, the guard from Harvard suffered a knee injury late in the season, and had to sit out, ending his magical year.

Thirteen years later and the floor general announced his retirement from the sport.

Lin announced his retirement in an Instagram post, where he looked back on his basketball journey.

“As athletes, we are always aware that the possibility of retirement is never far away. I’ve spent my 15 year career knowing that one day I would have to walk away, and yet actually saying goodbye to basketball today has been the hardest decision I’ve ever made,” he wrote.

“It's been the honor of a lifetime to compete against the fiercest competitors under the brightest lights and to challenge what the world thought was possible for someone who looks like me. I've lived out my wildest childhood dreams to play in front of fans all around the world,” he added.

“I will forever be the kid who felt fully alive every time I touched a basketball.”

After his time in New York, Lin signed with the Houston Rockets, where he played two seasons.

He later played for the Lakers, Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn Nets, Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors, where he won his lone NBA championship.

After that season, Lin brought his act to China and played for the Beijing Ducks.

He tried to return to the NBA through the G-League, but he would not find his way back to the big stage.

He also played in the P.League+, where he played for the Kaohsiung 17Live Steelers and the New Taipei Kings.

The Harvard graduate, then, announced that he is stepping away from the sport on Sunday.

“So many people have sacrificed and poured into my journey, more than I could ever repay. Thank you all for believing in me, for walking with me, for celebrating my highs and picking me up in my lows,” he said.

“This is a ride I never wanted to end but I know it’s time. I will forever miss playing basketball in front of you all but our time will go beyond just playing. Here’s to what’s ahead.”

He finished his NBA career with averages of 11.6 points, 4.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game. He played almost 500 NBA games and started 221 of them.