They said
That the first Asian-American player ever
Would never be able to put up 38 points
They said
That a Harvard alum
Could never charm the fans of Madison Square Garden
They said
That a player buried in the depth chart
Like a corpse buried in mounds of sand
Could never inspire a nation
They were wrong

25
28
23
38
With every basket
A butterfly gliding into the net
Finding its place in the world

With every basket
A distressed
Owner
Coach
Or
Booster
Who passed on Lin,
Saying
“The failure to recruit Lin was really stupid.”
Or
“In hindsight he would have been a starter.”

In an age where distress is the name of the game
And society routinely jumps on the Panic Button
It took
A kid who sleeps on his brother’s couch,
Loves God,
And is humble as ever
To ignite a nation,
To prove they can’t test heart or hard work
And
Remind the world
In the power of dreams