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"If your digitally addled brain can remember all the way back to February, then you'll recall a fleeting \u2014 yet glorious \u2014 few weeks when Linsanity ruled the social web. \nMemory a little fuzzy from reading too many tweets? Here's what happened: \nJeremy Lin, an unheralded, underdog Taiwanese-American guard was forced into the starting lineup for a depleted New York Knicks squad \u2014 only to explode and shock the world with an eye-popping stat line of 28 points and seven assists. Days later he led the Knicks to a win over Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers with a 38 point outburst at Madison Square Garden, sandwiching in a number of other seemingly miraculous feats and performances before and after. \nAs Lin briefly dominated the NBA before succumbing to exhaustion and eventually injury, his name and the hashtag #Linsanity became a regular globally trending topic on Twitter. He added more than 130,00 followers in a week, and tribute raps popped up on YouTube. Photos of a high school-age Lin impersonating NBA players on his old Xanga blog went viral, as did a number of memes paying homage to his unexpected greatness.\nNow Lin is being honored by the NBA for his social media dominance. The league announced this week that Lin has been named its first-ever \"Social Breakout Player of the Year.\" This comes in advance of Wednesday's NBA Social Media Awards, the first time a major professional sports league has specifically honored player achievements and activity in the social realm. \nThe awards will be broadcast at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on NBA TV and celebrate social media success by players and teams on platforms including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.  \nBONUS GALLERY: The Ultimate Jeremy Lin Meme Roundup\n\n\n10 Excellent Jeremy Lin Tributes\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n1. Linsanity\nThe classic.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2. The Lin King\nThis shows injured Knicks point guard Baron Davis holding Lin aloft on Pride Rock as the team's (former) superstars Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire look on.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n3. Super LinTendo\nLin said he prefers just \"Jeremy,\" but that if he had to pick this might be his favorite name pun since he used to play Super Nintendo as a kid.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n4. Creative Math\nLin rose to stardom when Anthony (number 7) and Stoudemire (number 1) were out with injuries. But Lin (number 17) more than filled the gap.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n5. To LinFinity and Beyond \nOne fan made this sign riffing on Toy Story character Buzz Lightyear's signature phrase.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n6. To LinFinity and Beyond 2\nSomeone else made a more official version.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n7. Kobe System?\nLakers star Kobe Bryant took a subtle dig at Lin before their match-up last Friday by saying he was unaware of the all the hysteria. But Lin got the last laugh by scoring 38 points to lead his Knicks to victory.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n8. Where Lin Happens\nThe NBA says that it is \"Where Amazing Happens.\" In light of recent events, however, it may be time to update that slogan.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n9. Everyday I'm ShumpaLin\nCombining Lin's last name with that of teammate Iman Shumpert leads to the ultimate dance song-themed pun.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n10. All I Do is Lin\nDJ Khaled should be proud.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThumbnail image via facebook.com/jeremylin7"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2012/06/19/jeremy-lin-social-award/>