Despite a strong high school basketball career, Lin did not receive any athletic scholarship offers from NCAA Division I programs. He enrolled at Harvard University, where he majored in economics and played for the Crimson's basketball team. Over four seasons, he scored 1,483 points across 115 games, maintaining a field goal percentage of 48.1%. He was named to the All-Ivy League First Team in both his junior and senior years and was a national finalist for prestigious honors including the John R. Wooden Award and the Bob Cousy Award.

Breakout with the New York Knicks and the Rise of "Linsanity"

Jeremy Lin went undrafted in the 2010 NBA Draft but was eventually signed by the Golden State Warriors. After limited playing time and brief stints in the NBA Development League, he was waived by several teams before joining the New York Knicks in December 2011.

Lin's breakout came on February 4, 2012, when he scored 25 points against the New Jersey Nets. Over the next several games, he became the focal point of the Knicks’ offense, leading the team to a winning streak and capturing global attention. The phenomenon became known as "Linsanity," sparking a surge in Jeremy Lin merchandise, including trading cards and NBA jerseys.

He quickly became a cultural icon, especially among fans in Taiwan and China, as he challenged stereotypes about Asian-Americans in professional sports. Amid this sudden fame, Lin filed for a trademark on the term "Linsanity" to gain control over its use and protect his personal brand.