So much for rude rookies....

Lin's desire impressed one of his favorite players, Lakers point guard Derek Fisher.

"He plays with good energy on the floor. He's aggressive. He plays hard. He's not afraid of the competition," Fisher says. "Those are good things to have when you're a young player regardless of where you're from. You have to be willing to go out there and compete against the best."

Being an underdog for his entire career, Fisher understands Lin's mind-set. At 6-1, Fisher is undersized and came to the NBA from a small school in Arkansas-Little Rock.

Lin, the third Asian American player in the NBA, is the first Ivy Leaguer to get playing time in the league since the 2002-03 season.

"He's carrying the hopes of an entire continent. I only had to carry the hopes of Little Rock, Arkansas. He's accomplished a lot more than I have already," says Fisher, who has won five NBA championships with the Lakers.

"He just has to keep working hard and remain confident in himself. … He's here for a reason."