When the Toronto Raptors beat the Golden State Warriors in six games back in June, many players had finally earned the permanent prefix “NBA Champion” across their player profiles.
Players such as Kyle Lowry and Marc Gasol battled their way through years of playoff disappointment and abrupt ends to finally end up as the last men standing. Yet, while he didn’t play but one minute in the NBA Finals, Jeremy Lin earned himself the championship moniker and subsequently earned his place in NBA history.
When Lin joined the Raptors at the trade deadline, there was enthusiasm about his prospects with the team.