Jeremy Lin is ending the Linsanity. The 37-year-old former NBA star announced on Saturday that he is retiring. In an emotional message on Instagram, Lin said he is looking forward to what comes next. Now, fans are sharing throwback videos of Lin and Kobe Bryant’s chemistry on and off the court.

“As athletes, we are always aware that the possibility of retirement is never far away. I’ve spent my 15 year career knowing that one day I would have to walk away, and yet actually saying goodbye to basketball today has been the hardest decision I’ve ever made,” Lin posted on social media.

“It’s been the honor of a lifetime to compete against the fiercest competitors under the brightest lights and to challenge what the world thought was possible for someone who looks like me. I’ve lived out my wildest childhood dreams to play in front of fans all around the world. I will forever be the kid who felt fully alive everytime I touched a basketball,” he further added.

The Linsanity

Lin’s ascent from an undrafted Harvard graduate to an NBA sensation peaked during the 2011-12 season with the New York Knicks. After stints with the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets, he seized a starting role amid injuries, leading the Knicks to a seven-game win streak.

However, Jeremy Lin peaked in a game against Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers. He erupted for a career-high 38 points, outscoring the five-time champion’s 34 in a 92-85 victory.

Bryant, initially dismissive in pre-game comments, “I didn’t even know what he had done”, later praised Lin’s skill, saying, “Players playing that well don’t usually come out of nowhere.”

Lin and Bryant were teammates in Los Angeles, too. The former once recalled a car ride with the Black Mamba.

“When we were teammates he just briefly mentioned it,” Lin recalled in an interview with GQ Sports.

“He was like, ‘Dude, I couldn’t believe you did that. And after you did that, that’s when I had a lot of respect for you.’”