“We’re still trying to figure out why we have so much [media] exposure when we’re doing so badly in the Ivy League. It’s ironic,” he says. “We just want to win the Ivy League. That’s all that everyone is focused on.”

For Harvard to challenge Cornell—the reigning league champion—the Crimson will need Lin at his best.

Lin’s emphasis over the summer on better ball-handling and extending his range make it difficult to project his capabilities, but based on his statistics last season, Lin is in striking distance of the top five in points, assists, blocks, and steals in all of Harvard history.

“He’s certainly established himself as one of the best who’ve played here,” Amaker says. “The best way of solidifying any of those types of individual moments, awards, achievements would be if he can have our team do something that no Harvard team has ever done.”

“We all know what that is,” Amaker adds coyly.

The elusive Ivy League title.

“I don’t have any personal expectations,” Lin says, brushing off all the accolades awarded and awaiting him. “As a team, we’re expecting to win the whole Ivy League. We want to hang a banner, and that’s what we expect to do.”

—Staff writer Timothy J. Walsh can be reached at twalsh@fas.harvard.edu.