Linsanity Is Coming to All-Star Weekend

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Linsanity is coming to NBA All-Star Weekend.

Knicks guard Jeremy Lin will participate in the Rising Stars Challenge Feb. 24 as part of the All-Star festivities in Orlando.

Lin, who has become a global rock star while leading the Knicks on a seven-game winning streak, will play for Team Shaq led by Shaquille O’Neal. That team will also feature Lin’s friend and Knicks teammate Landry Fields, as well as Blake Griffin, former UConn star Kemba Walker and former St. Benedict’s Prep and Texas standout Tristan Thompson.

“[It’s] definitely exciting, but right now I try not to think too far, just stay one day at a time,” Lin said at a morning shootaround that featured nine TV cameras and approximately 50 reporters.

“Obviously, it’s an honor, to be able to play with Landry in that game. I think Shump [Iman Shumpert] should be in there, too, but that’s the way it goes.”

Lin will also facilitate Shumpert, a Knicks rookie, in the Slam Dunk contest.

Lin said he remains in constant touch with former NBA center Yao Ming to discuss everything that is going on around him.

“When I signed with Golden State he invited me to go to Taiwan to play in his charity game,” Lin said. “Since then if we’re in the same city, go out to eat, keep in touch through text messages and phone calls. He invited me out to China this past summer. so I got to spend some time with him out there. just picking his brain.

“Obviously, he’s been through what I’m going through times a hundred. I consider him someone I can go to for advice. Everything I’m going to go through he’s already been through for a long time.

Lin reiterated that he hopes more Asians follow their path into the NBA.

“Hopefully we can continue to have more Asian-Americans and Asians in the NBA,” he said. “I think that’s just through time. Basketball in and of itself is already growing in China and Asia. It’s just a matter of time. whether I’m here or not basketball is going to continue to grow so it’s a lot bigger than just me.”

This will be Lin’s second straight year at All-Star weekend, although last year he went as a fan and an invisible man.

“I went to the Slam Dunk competition and went to the Skills Challenge as support staff,” Lin said. “I went to the All-Star game. It was fun. I think it was pretty busy so I wasn’t expecting it to be that busy. I’m more prepared this year I guess.”

Still, he said he’s going to try to avoid the spotlight as much as possible — Good luck with that, Jeremy! — and plans to rest over the weekend.

“I’m just going to play in one game and it’s not really going to be taxing on my body,” said Lin, who’s averaging 23.6 points and 9.8 assists in his last five games.

“Probably stand around halfcourt and throw a couple alley-oop passes. that’s more just a fun thing and an honor to be out  there. besides that I’m not really doing appearances out there. I’m just going to relax, rest, and let my legs come back.”

Lin was asked if a couch would be involved in his weekend rest plans, a reference to his stays on the couches of both Fields and Lin’s brother in Manhattan.

“I’m sure there’s a couch in the hotel room,,” he said, “but that’s not where I’m going to be sleeping anymore.”

Below are the rosters for the 2012 BBVA Rising Stars Challenge:

TEAM CHUCK
                                                        Prior to NBA/
Player        Team        Pos.        Ht.                Wt.        Home Country        Exp
MarShon Brooks        New Jersey        G-F        6-5                200        Providence/USA        R
DeMarcus Cousins        Sacramento        C        6-11        270        Kentucky/USA        1
Paul George        Indiana        G-F        6-8                215        Fresno State/USA        1
Gordon Hayward        Utah        F        6-8                210        Butler/USA        1
Kyrie Irving        Cleveland        G        6-3                191        Duke/USA        R
Kawhi Leonard        San Antonio        G-F        6-7                225        San Diego State/USA        R
Tiago Splitter        San Antonio        F-C        6-11        240        Saski Baskonia/Brazil        1
Evan Turner        Philadelphia        G-F        6-7                205        Ohio State/USA        1
John Wall        Washington        G        6-4                195        Kentucky/USA        1
Derrick Williams        Minnesota        F        6-8                241        Arizona/USA        R

Photo: Richard Perry/ New York Times