Before New York Knicks fans had a genuine championship contender to emotionally invest in, they had to find reasons to stay interested. Linsanity did more than just galvanize the city, however. That 2012 phenomenon exhilarated the entire sports world and even bled into pop culture for a time. Though, it may not have reached those heights if not for Kobe Bryant’s infamous “who is this kid?” soundbite, and the masterful Jeremy Lin performance that followed it.
Prior to a Feb. 10 road matchup versus the Knicks, the Los Angeles Lakers icon made ostensibly dismissive comments about the rapidly ascending undrafted guard. Bryant said he heard of the player, but claimed to not know what exactly he had been doing on the court. Lin posted 76 points, 25 assists and five steals in his previous three games combined, and although the competition was not overly impressive, that stretch should have caught the five-time NBA champion’s attention.
Lin responded by torching LA for 38 points on 13-of-23 shooting and also recorded seven dimes, four boards and two steals. He did have six turnovers, but the overall excellent showing was not enough to propel New York to a 92-85 win. Bryant dropped 34 points on 11-of-29 shooting. Needless to say, those comments did not age well. Carmelo Anthony, who missed the contest with a groin injury, provided come NSFW context for the much-discussed remarks.
“We’re about to play the Lakers, and I’m laughing and joking with {Kobe},” the Hall of Famer recalled while speaking to Lin on the former’s “7PM in Brooklyn” podcast. “‘You gonna get your a** bust.’ He’s like, ‘by who? who the f*** is Jeremy Lin?’ When he said that {in the media}, it stemmed from the conversation we had just had the night before. And he was tired of me talking about {Lin} to him.”
Carmelo Anthony tells the back story of Kobe Bryant saying he didn’t know who Jeremy Lin was during his Linsanity run
Melo said he was texting Kobe the night before they played the Lakers, letting Kobe know Jeremy was about to ‘bust his ass’
Melo says Kobe was tired of hearing… pic.twitter.com/L5ISi4121Z
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) June 12, 2026
While Lakers fans might appreciate Anthony taking some accountability for vexing Bryant, what is the Black Mamba’s excuse for allegedly berating Lin a couple of years later. The Harvard graduate has talked about his rough experiences with Kobe Bryant while the two were Lakers teammates during the 2014-15 campaign. The NBA legend is one of the most respected competitors of all-time, but by past accounts, he could be absolutely brutal at times.
Lin learned that the hard way. Lakers fans tend not to focus on the negative aspects of his illustrious career when they take a trip down memory lane, but one cannot review the Lin saga without calling attention to them. Anthony was perceived as not being the biggest supporter of No. 17, either. Ultimately, the good times should overshadow all else.
Linsanity was the magic potion a relevance-starved franchise needed. There was more pain to follow, but those few weeks still put a smile on countless fans’ faces. That triumph over Bryant and the Lakers is greatly responsible for such a movement coming into existence.
The post Carmelo Anthony reveals story behind Kobe Bryant’s 2012 Jeremy Lin comments appeared first on ClutchPoints.
