KEY POINTS Kenny Atkinson and Jeremy Lin go way back

Atkinson said Lin worked the hardest in New York during their time together

Lin would play in China seven years after Linsanity

Jeremy Lin’s magical run eight years ago is still one of the most unforgettable moments in the recent memory of the NBA. But while the fairy tale plot stunned a myriad of basketball followers, New York Knicks then-assistant coach Kenny Atkinson appeared otherwise.

Atkinson was the last person to be surprised when the phenomenon famously known as “Linsanity” took the world by storm. As he worked closely behind the scenes with the unheralded Lin, the veteran coach said the Asian-American’s dedication to the grind was second to no one.

“(Lin’s) probably our hardest worker right now,” Atkinson said during a halftime interview back in February 2012, when the Knicks hosted the New Jersey Nets. “It’s unbelievable, how hard he works. So it’s good to see his work paying off.”

At the time, Lin had six points, four assists, and three rebounds as New York trailed by a deuce.

Little did everyone know the night would end up in NYK’s books as one of the most celebrated moments in franchise history. Lin ended up finishing with 25 points, seven dimes, and four boards to lead the Knicks to a 99-92 win.

"This night, it just hasn't really sunk in yet to be honest. It's like I'm still kind of in shock about everything that happened but I'm just trying to soak it all in right now,” said Lin at postgame.

Four years after leaving the Knicks at the end of the 2012 season, Atkinson and Lin would return to New York, interestingly finding themselves on the same squad again – this time with the Brooklyn Nets.

It was Atkinson’s head coaching debut, while it was Lin's fourth team since the spectacle of 2012.

A series of injuries then followed, hunting the Harvard University standout, who persisted to play for two more teams in the NBA. He won his first championship with the Toronto Raptors in 2019, albeit he was obviously a non-factor inside the court. As the decline in his game became apparent, Lin decided to take his talents to China in the off-season.

Meanwhile, Atkinson saw the end of the road in Brooklyn after he was fired in March, ending his nearly four-season stint as the lead tactician for the Nets.

There could be an open door, however, for the 52-year-old to stay in New York as some fans clamor for his return to the Knicks, only this time to serve as a head coach.