Kenny Atkinson is always going to remember his first win as an NBA head coach, but Jeremy Lin wanted him to have a memento.
So Lin did something special for his coach on Friday night, grabbing the game ball at the final buzzer of the Nets 103-94 win and giving it to Atkinson after the game.
“I gave the ball to Coach. I already have my first as a starter, first ‘this,’” Lin said pointing to the ball. “So, this is his and he deserves it.”
Atkinson, whose first win came in front of his family, including his mother and seven brothers, was touched by the gesture from his floor general, a player he’s known since 2012, when they were both with the Knicks.
“It was pretty special,” said Atkinson, whose eyes showed a deep appreciation, as he deflected the attention off himself and back to his players.
Lin said that’s just Kenny being Kenny.
“He’s like allergic to credit, it’s so funny,” Lin said. “Any time you say something he does well, he runs, rolls his eye, turns around and changes the subject. I love it. It’s hilarious. I love making him uncomfortable about something that he did. That’s just who he is. He doesn’t want the credit, he doesn’t do it for the credit, he loves the game, is passionate about the game and he wants to see us do it as a team. In a situation like this, he deserves it.”
Lin had just one request for his coach.
“I better not see him play with that ball,” Lin joked. “He better get that framed.”