Jeremy Lin and Landry Fields Share Their Faith and Special Friendship
For one weekend, Jeremy Lin and Landry Fields were reunited to share the importance of their faith and special moments in their friendship four years after Linsanity happened in 2012, not only to play in the NBA but also to find their true identity in Christ in their lives. Jeremy and Landry came to speak at the SeaCoast Grace Church on the 8/13-8/14 weekend to share about their faith and what it looks like in the NBA.
Friendship Moments Leading Up to the Nets Breakthrough Game
For many Jeremy Lin fans, it brought back sweet memories of how Linsanity happened in the unlikeliest moment when Jeremy was about to be cut by the Knicks before he had a breakthrough in the Nets again with 25 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds on Feb 4, 2012. Before the game, Jeremy was only expecting to have 6 points since his previous career high was only 12 points prior to the Nets game. It was supposed to be Jeremy’s last game but he experienced the overwhelming sense of calm unlike his frequent battle of game-anxiety moments. Landy also shared his perspective as a teammate how tangible the sense of “divine thing” was happening in that game that made him stand back and wonder what on earth was unfolding.
The best friends shared funny anecdotes how Jeremy spent the night at Landry Fields’ couch before the Nets game. They shared a laughter reminiscing about their “close-but-not-that-close-friends” moment when Landry felt bad about only offering a small couch for Jeremy to sleep and felt obligated to offer sharing his California king-size bad. Jeremy politely declined and both breathed a sigh of relief.
True Friendship and Brothers in Christ
One can’t help appreciating the special relationship that both Jeremy and Landry shared as friends and brothers in Christ. Landy shared his recollection about a Bible verse Romans 8:28 (“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.”) that Jeremy had quoted in one of his post-game interview [mark 21:00]. He can understand how all the afflictions, suffering that Jeremy had to go through culminated in the breakthrough moment of the Nets game.
“All of moments that were a setback for Jeremy was actually a setup for the moment that God was going to work through him, not just for Jeremy’s unbelievably sake but for His glory. And it was so great to be a part of that”
It was very special to hear Landry explained how he believed God worked through Jeremy in the special moment in the string of Linsanity games after all the bad things Jeremy had to endure. Not because they share the same faith in Christ but more so on the beautiful friendship without any bitter jealousy that we learned some Knicks teammates had expressed toward Jeremy’s success (see “Amare Stoudemire Claims some Knicks were jealous of Lin’s success“) . In the world of “me-first” and “dog-eats-dog world” mentality of NBA players, it was rare to find true friendship that enables one to rejoice unselfishly for another person. It’s one of the true measure of how their faith genuinely impact their characters in such positive ways.
Both of them can banter and joke around about how Landry took Lin’s spots twice by being awarded a Stanford scholarship and drafted by the Knicks without any hints of jealousy. It is the moments like this that feel so special when friends can celebrate each other’s success freely.
Jeremy also shared that Landry was one of the few NBA players who he can talk about Christian faith and was the big reason to give him courage to start a Bible Study group with teammates at the end of the season. He continued this Bible Study tradition when he played for Lakers and the Hornets
At the end of the interview, both played a fun game of Pop-A-Shot in which Jeremy won a close game 12-11.
Landry has battled many injuries and is working hard to come back to play in the NBA. Hopefully, someday Landry can be healthy and play well enough to be reunited in one NBA team, perhaps in the Brooklyn Nets. Their basketball careers were intertwined from their college years to the Linsanity Knicks time and it would be a special sight to behold to be watching these special friends and brothers in Christ to play together again in one team.
Tim Pham Summary of the Jeremy and Landry 8/15/16 Interview
Just came back from hearing Jlin speak at church with Landry Fields. Not sure how many of those people were church members or only came to see Lin, but it was very packed! Here are some interesting tidbits that I found interesting. It’s also kind of weird how we get more inside stuff from Lin during these church speaking engagements than anywhere else.
– Landry Fields first heard of Jeremy Lin when he was in HS at Los Alamitos
-Lin says he felt tremendous pressure and anxiety trying to represent for Asians during his GS years.
-He says he spoke to Mike D’antoni since after Linsanity and Dantoni confimed that they were going to “release” Lin but since they had back-to-back-to back games, they had no time and figured they’ll just throw Lin in to give him a shot and that they were going to waive him after.
-Lin’s agent called him before the Nets game and told him he needs to perform bc this could be his last game in the nba
-Lin, who always felt anxious and anxiety before games, felt a supernatural at-ease feeling before nets game and no anxiety whatsover.
-When Lin scored 6 points vs the nets in that break-out game against the nets, he was so happy he socred 6 points, way higher than what he usually scores.
-Landry fields says that as a spectator and witnessing Linsanity, he has never witnessed a team that played more purely. He says it was a representation of the most selflessness he has ever experienced. Fields also says that during the linsanty stretch, he took all the guys aside and look them in the eyes and that he felt the guys would literally die for Lin.
-Lin says the anxiety and anxiouness came back before the Chicago Bulls game sometime after the 2 weeks of linsanity. He says beyond the lakers 38 point game, the toronto buzzer beater or the nets break-out game, this was the moment that was most memorable. The feeling of extreme anxiety, stress and feeling empty, always having to outdo the next performance.
-Lin received so many free stuff during Linsanity stretch, loads of boxes were sent to lin’s apt. Landry fields would come by and try to take some the free stuff.
-Lin was able to lead a bible study at the end of the Knicks season and guys that normally would have made fun of “chrisitanity” actually came out.
-His most difficult time in post-linsanity came against spurs when he was a laker. During that game, Lin was benched and did not even sniff court time. He felt like his career was regressing back to where it all first started pre-linsanity. From bench to the highest peak to falling back down. Says that through that experience, he came out stronger than ever. Learned a lot about himself.
I think i might be missing stuff, but I loved the true friendship between fields and lin. You can tell that without fields with lin during ny days, it wouldn’t have been as great. Also, you can tell the linsanity guys truly valued lin during the stretch, until melo came back.
Having been a lin fan for so long, it really makes me appreciate how strong he is. To overcome obstacles and continually stick to his principles and values. I can’t wait to see what ‘s next in Lin’s story!
- Jeremy Lin Only Part
Credit to GoFamilyGoh
2. Complete Lin and Landry Interview
Credit to Kimberly Chiu
Note: If the audio is not very clear, please turn up the volume
