Jeremy Lin drives past Ricky Rubio of the Minnesota Timberwolves. (Photo: Brace Hemmelgarn-US PRESSWIRE)
By Michael McCarthy, USA TODAY
Overnight sensation Jeremy Lin is proving to be a perfect fit for today's' fast-moving, 24-7 social media environment.
The New York Knicks' young point guard has nearly melted search engines and Twitter over the past week despite other big stories, such as a possible war with Iran, the struggling economy, U.S. presidential election and Tuesday's release of the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Punch in the words "Jeremy Lin" on Google today and you'll get roughly 2.2 million results - and nearly 7,000 news articles
Over on Google Trends, "Lin," "Knicks" and "New York Knicks" account for three of the top 10 hottest searches.
Lin has exploded on Twitter. As of Wednesday, he was up to nearly 306,000 followers for his @JLin7 feed. He picked up 300,000 followers in the last week alone, according to TwitterCounter.com.
He attracted 37,000 Tuesday after he drilled a last-second three-pointer to beat the Raptors in Toronto for the Knicks' sixth consecutive win, the last five with Lin in his first NBA starts.
On Twitter, sports analysts and athletes can't get enough of Lin. Many write his story is a great lesson for kids about hard work and perseverance despite long odds. There are a lot of comparisons between Lin and Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, who ignited a similar social media phenomenon as well as the "Tebowing" trend.
CBS basketball analyst Greg Anthony tweeted Wednesday that Lin's "the biggest story in the NBA thus far."
NBC sportscaster Bruce Beck tweeted: "Buster Douglas ended Tyson's aura of invincibility! @Jlin7 looks invincible now! Knocking out everyone."
The megaphone of social media instantly amplifies the exploits of sports heroes such as Lin and Tebow. Fans react in real times to wins and losses, dunks and shots, TD passes and fumbles.
That's why Lin's Twitter handle is "just off the hook at this point," says Ken Wisnefski, president of WebiMax, an Internet marketing agency that helps clients reach consumers over the Internet.
"People have their mobile devices and iPads and tablets in hand. As these events are going on, people are commenting within the minute, 'Did you see that?' or 'Wow, what a dunk.' It's a great way to communicate and participate."