Jeremy Lin pleased with knee rehab, vows to ‘be a new me’
Jeremy Lin of the Nets looks on from the bench during a game against the Lakers at Barclays Center on Friday, Feb. 2, 2018. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Speaking to Nets media members for the first time since suffering a season-ending ruptured right patella tendon in the opener, Nets point guard Jeremy Lin said Friday night at Barclays Center that his rehab is going smoothly. He predicted he will return a faster, more explosive player as a result of a comprehensive conditioning program at Fortius Sports and Health near Vancouver.
Many pro athletes struggle to come back from an injury such as Lin’s, but he hopes to defy that trend.
“History is not really something that is super-appealing to me right now,” he said. “I don’t want to get caught up in someone else’s journey. I feel like I am ready to take on this thing, and when I get healthy, I will be a new me.”
Lin chose to do his rehab apart from the team because he was attracted by the reputation of Fortius physical therapist Rick Celebrini and because it was more practical in terms of sustaining a consistent program he said has become a “lifestyle,” as opposed to working around NBA travel demands with the Nets’ performance team.
“I’m finding Fortius and the Nets talk all the time,” Lin said. “They have calls, and we have strength coaches texting back and forth and sending videos. We have Nets people coming out and visiting. We have more staff members coming out there at All-Star break. So there’s a big-time collaboration.
“I feel like a diva with how much they’re communicating and every little thing gets passed on to every single person down the line.”
The purpose of focusing on areas other than his injured knee, Lin said, is to try to prevent future injuries. His program is designed to address “muscle imbalances, movement deficiencies” and simply the mechanics of how he moves.
“We’re fixing everything so I can look close to picture-perfect,” Lin said. “Perfection in this situation is kind of a ghost, but it’s as much improvement as you can get. You reduce chances of injury, and I’m also going to be more explosive and faster and more on balance because of it.”
Lin has followed the Nets’ season closely, and coach Kenny Atkinson said they have been in constant contact via text messages.
Asked about the status of his recovery, Lin declined to get into specifics, including whether he has engaged in any basketball activities. But when pressed about whether he expects to be ready when training camp opens in September, Lin smiled and said, “Shoot, if I’m not, there’s issues.”
Greg Logan has worked for Newsday since 1982 covering a wide array of sports and events, currently including the Brooklyn Nets beat.
