Jeremy Lin feeling comfortable, even with new wax statue of himself

Jeremy Lin has a wax statue of himself now in San Francisco.

https://twitter.com/jaimemaggio/statuses/502519212221276160

Consider it sign No. 1,573,892 that Jeremy Lin remains wildly popular beyond what he brings on the court. He’s still a guy breaking the mold that a large part of the world relates to.

But Jeremy Lin on the court is a solid NBA player. Overpaid? Sure, not going to argue that. And maybe his fame is bigger than his play, but that has been the way of sports since the ancient Greek Olympics.

But make no mistake, Lin can play. His production is good — 12.5 points a game on a well above average .572 true shooting percentage, plus 4.1 assists a game playing almost 29 minutes a game last season. He does some things very well, such as attack off the pick and roll then finish when he gets in the lane. His shot is improving as well, he shot 35.8 percent from three last year. He’s got flaws — he’s not much of a defender, for one — but like most NBA role players he has strengths and the more you play to that the more he helps you.

He’s a solid NBA guard.

Lin is more comfortable heading into his fifth NBA season, now with the Los Angeles Lakers, he told Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group.

“I am a lot more comfortable now than I was in the beginning. Going into my fifth year, I’m able to handle that now more than ever. I put more pressure on myself now than what I feel from the outside.”

He’s getting used to being a Laker.

“It’s very weird. At first I was like ‘Whoa,’ ” Lin, who learned of the trade while he was overseas. “A lot of my friends and family are diehard Warriors fans, as I was growing up. But I appreciate California so much more now that I’ve been everywhere else.”

Whatever Steve Nash’s health ends up being this season, Lin is going to get a lot of run for the Lakers. Then he’s going to get a new NBA contract next summer, one likely for a little less than he makes now, but he will get one.

He’s a comfortable, solid, NBA rotation player.