“Jeremy Lin had the holy ghost” – Fat Joe said Linsanity was special, but the Knicks did him dirty originally appeared on Basketball Network.
“Linsanity” was one of the best things to happen to the New York Knicks during the 2010s. However, it did not last long because after the 2011-12 NBA season, the Knicks let Jeremy Lin walk away and sign with the Houston Rockets.
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Many New York fans were disappointed as they felt Lin was a keeper and that the Knicks should’ve done everything to re-sign him. Popular New York rapper and die-hard Knicks fan Fat Joe was one of those, and he let out his frustration during his recent appearance on Jeff Teague’s “Club 520” podcast.
“They did him dirty. He was supposed to be a Knick all the way. Linsanity was such a special moment in the history of the Knicks. He don’t get enough credit. He that boy. Jeremy Lin had the holy ghost. He just couldn’t do nothing wrong,” said Fat Joe.
The Knicks let Lin walk away in free agency
For two weeks in 2012, Jeremy went from being the last player on the bench to the best player in the NBA. The Knicks went 7-0 in his first seven starts and were 9-3 with him as a starter heading to the All-Star break. During that span, Lin averaged 22.5 points and 8.7 assists per game and was the talk of the basketball world.
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But after 26 games, Lin suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee, which ended his season. He became a free agent after the 2011-12 campaign. The Rockets offered Lin a four-year deal worth $28.8 million, which the Knicks did not match. As a fan, Fat Joe felt that Lin deserved to remain a Knick.
“I’m glad that the DNA and the mindset of the Knicks are different now. You know, they reward you. If you do good, they reward you. At that time, I was really furious as a fan. And all I truly am is a fan. I really have no opinion to sway James Dolan or the Knicks or anybody like that. I’m just a fan like everybody else,” he added.
Lin wanted to stay in New York
In 2020, Lin revealed that he did not want to leave and wanted to continue his career in New York. In fact, he revealed that when he received the offer from the Rockets, he told his agent to ask for a lower amount so that the Knicks would have a chance to match it.
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“And I remember when Houston gave the offer, I promise you, I had just finished a workout and got into my car and got the phone call from my agent and I said to him, ‘can you tell Houston to lower the offer, this is too much,” Lin said in the interview. “Can you tell someone to lower the offer, because I wanted to go back to New York and I wanted New York to match. The time there, with the fans, everything. It was so special. I was like, I need to go back to New York. That’s where my heart is.”
No counteroffer came, so Jeremy left. His departure angered many fans who felt he was their glimmer of hope during those tough years. Fortunately, as Fat Joe mentioned, things are different now in New York as the Knicks have kept and taken care of their best players. They are coming off their best season in 25 years.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.