Loading
@jlin7 on @kobebryant: “He’s pushing me and he’s demanding a lot from me. He’s definitely taken on a mentorship role for me on the court. That’s something I don’t think I’ve had in my previous four years in the league.”
In addition to being the new teammate of Kobe Bryant. New LA Lakers point guard Jeremy Lin has become a student of Bryant’s teaching and has been pushed by the former all-defensive team guard to step up his efforts on the defensive end of the court. Per Bleacher Report.
“He cares about all the little things,” Lin said. “It’s like the stuff that he talks to me about, I didn’t ever think about it. Little stuff. I’m, like, ‘Oh, OK. That’s one way to look at it.’ He’s challenging me to expand my perspective.
“I think that’s really important, and that’s something that I love doing. It’s a blessing that he’s here in the same locker room. It’s just nice to have somebody who’s pushing me and helping me, teaching me the tricks,” Lin said. “It’s also nice when he’s one of the best to ever do it, even on the defensive end.”
Of the blossoming relationship, Kobe Bryant said:
“Jeremy’s biggest challenge, which he loves, is that I’m really going to challenge him to be a great defensive player—because he can,” Bryant said. “He has the speed, he has the length, he has the size. He has never had to take on that challenge, but I think he can be a great defensive player.”
Given the fact that this is a contract year for Jeremy Lin, if there was ever a time for him to step up his game to latch on with a team longterm. This would be the season and the Lakers seem like a perfect fit due to the playing time he should receive (if healthy) and the wealth of knowledge he will be able to tap into playing with former MVP guards Steve Nash and of course Kobe Bryant. However, time will tell.
