Jeremy Lin Rides Linsanity To His ESPY For Breakthrough Player Of The Year

When Jeremy Lin takes his talents to Houston next season he'll be bringing his ESPY. Lin, the now former New York Knicks point guard, just won his first ESPY as sports' Breakthrough Player of the Year.

Lin beat out Anthony Davis, Robert Griffin III, Alex Morgan, and the New York Patriots' Rob Gronkowski for the honor. Lin, 23, graduated from Harvard University then bounced around the basement of the NBA before coming off the bench for the New York Knicks. The six-game winning streak the Knicks then went on were led by Linsanity, in which Lin became the first player to score 20 points with seven assists in his first five NBA starts.

Last year's ESPY winner for the best Breakthrough Player of the Year was Los Angeles Clippers star Blake Griffin. Other winners from last year were Tim Thomas, Lindsay Vonn, Roy Halladay, Maya Moore, and Dirk Nowitzki.

LeBron James, who was named by the NBA as its regular-season MVP as well as its NBA Finals MVP, leads in nominations for ESPY awards. James is expected to bring home some serious hardware to display next to his NBA championship trophy. He's nominated for Best Male Athlete, Best Championship Performance, and Best NBA Player.

ESPN reports that the Arthur Ashe Courage Award was to be presented to former Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt, who led her team last season despite being diagnosed last summer with early onset dementia, Alzheimer's type.

Two ESPY winners were announced before the show began. According to ESPN.com: Jonathan Quick of the 2012 Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings won Best NHL Player. Brittney Griner, who led Baylor to its second NCAA basketball title and the first 40-0 season in the women's college game, won Best Female College Athlete.