Brook Lopez has humbly requested that he, too, be allowed to induce heart attacks.
Granted, the Nets center meant the fake, Candid Camera kind, but after hearing about Jeremy Lin's staged viral video _ where he ambushes "fans" with less-than-stellar results _ Lopez is on board. And who can blame him? The duo, both natives of California, have clearly taken to each other, and the Nets would like nothing more than for that chemistry to translate to the court.
A BrookLin Bromance? It's the stuff of marketers' dreams.
"We have to do a video [together]," Lin said. (It should be noted that Lin has been a part of a few viral-style videos in his time, including one called "You've Changed, Bro," on his burgeoning fame post-Linsanity.) "Maybe you guys can come up with an idea for us."
Added Lopez: "I'll partake. Give people heart attacks? I'm there. With peer pressure, I give in immediately. Let's go."
In the staged video, released via Comedy Central, Lin tries to delight passers-by outside of Barclays Center, hiding under a table of free merchandise and popping out to greet them.
He gets yelled at.
He gets food thrown at him.
He induces that (fake) heart attack.
"The funniest thing were the people on the side going, 'Oh my God! Noooo!' " he said. "Seeing the bystanders that didn't know what was going on and seeing their reactions."
On Wednesday, Lopez and Lin tag-teamed their interviews after the Nets practiced _ fairly unorthodox but sure, why not _ and helped complete each other's thoughts on various subjects, including plans for their preseason finale against the Knicks.
Would the rotation Thursday be an accurate representation of what to expect in the regular season?
"Honestly, I don't know," Lin said.
"I'll tag him out," said Lopez, sidling over.
"I would think so. I would be lying if I said I was completely in the know," Lopez said. "We've been trying to treat every preseason game like a regular-season game. It hasn't really been rehearsal for us. When we're on the floor we've been trying to play, get to know each other a little more and try to improve in any way possible."
Lin: "That was way better than mine."
Of course, there's a limit to all this camaraderie. Let's not forget Lin graduated from Harvard and Lopez attended Stanford, and those two basketball teams will face off in Shanghai next month.
"We're not going to talk on that day," Lin said decisively.
Added Lopez: "I'll play with the second team."
