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Knicks legend Jeremy Lin joining ESPN’s NBA Finals coverage team
Updated June 2, 2026, 6:15 p.m. ET
Jeremy Lin couldnāt have timed it better.
This week, the player responsible for perhaps the NBAās most potent cultural phenomenon is stepping into a new broadcast role while the iconic franchise linked to his fame is competing for an NBA championship.
Lin, whose memorable play for the New York Knicks during the 2011-12 season sparked the international āLinsanityā craze, is joining ESPNās NBA Finals coverage as an analyst. He will appear on “NBA Today,” “SportsCenter” and possibly other network programs through the duration of the Knicks-Spurs series.
Lin makes his ESPN debut on Wednesday, June 3 on “SportsCenter” with Scott Van Pelt live in Washington D.C.
And yes, Lin told USA TODAY Sports in an interview on June 1, he is excited to see his former team four wins away from an NBA title.
āI always felt like Knicks fans deserve the best performances. Theyāre so passionate,ā Lin said. āAnd as cool as it was for me to give good performances only for that stretch of time, I genuinely wish that I was able to do more. I genuinely wish I was able to stay longer, genuinely wish that I could have a lot more success and done things in the playoffs for the Knicks, but that never came to fruition.ā Ā
Lin played in the NBA for nine seasons, including two-year stints in Houston and Brooklyn and part of the Toronto Raptorsā championship 2019 season, but he remains best known for his lone season with the Knicks. Current Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, who grew up in New Jersey, even credited Lin for influencing his Knicks fandom.
Lin helped the Knicks turn around their season in February 2012 when he joined the starting lineup and led the team on a seven-game win streak while star Carmelo Anthony was out injured. Ā The Knicks made the Eastern Conference playoffs but, with Lin injured and unable to play, were eliminated in the first round.
āI donāt think people understand the agony ā putting in that much, having the team be able to turn around and really find good rhythm, and then to not be there for the most important games,ā Lin said. āIt was really hard for me to not be out on the floor. I know that there were some reports at that time, but the reality was, I was doing everything I could to try get back and contribute, and I wasnāt able to do that.ā
Lin went on to play in the NBA playoffs in four different seasons for three different teams and said he plans to lean on that experience in his analyst role with ESPN.
āThe goal for me is really how do I bring my previous experience and distill the complexities into something simple and digestible for the fans?ā Lin said. āAnd thatās not just the successes. Itās the failures of multiple first-round exits before I was able to be a part of a team that was able to win it all. And seeing what worked, what didnāt work or what was the differentiator in getting us over the top, those are the things that I want to talk about.ā
The whole idea of TV came out of left field for Lin, who said that while playing he never contemplated a broadcast career. But last season, after Lin returned from playing basketball in Taiwan and decided to retire, he wanted to figure out his next steps.
This March, Lin made a guest analyst appearance on “NBA Today,” which he said was effectively a three-day trial period. He wanted to find out whether he was passionate about broadcasting and whether a network would give him the chance. His analytical breakdown of Luka Doncicās isolation play was well-received by viewers and answered his own questions.
āI think after those three days, the reception that we got from the fans as well as what I felt internally was definitely beyond what I expected,ā Lin said. āSo that was nice in the sense of like, oh, people had really appreciated the breakdown, but I also felt joy in being back in NBA basketball.ā
He said heās texted three former teammates-turned-analysts ā Danny Green, Iman Shumpert and Steve Novak ā for advice. Heās also relied on ESPN anchor Malika Andrews and Guy, the vice president of production, for constant coaching.
āIām less of the super hot take, loud persona,ā Lin said. āI try to be somewhat even keeled, I try to be educated and then I try to be uplifting, even if I have to criticize.ā
Lin said heās learned that broadcasting is harder than it looks, and that he wants to do it anyway. Although his current agreement with ESPN is only through these Finals, he hopes to continue his broadcasting career afterward.
āI definitely have serious interest in trying to do this more and to do this long-term,ā Lin said. āHonestly, Iām just really grateful to ESPN for these opportunities and I know that itās truly special that they were willing to carve the space for me in the Finals. I know that doesnāt grow on trees and is something extremely special, so Iām just very grateful.ā
This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.
