New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin and New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow made Time Magazine's "Top 100 Most Influential People in the World" list.
Lin and Tebow have garnered wide media attention for their athletic performance, religious faith, and voice into their respective communities.
Lin broke out earlier this year as the Knicks' starting point guard during a period of injuries to their major stars Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. Lin set records while guiding the team on a winning streak which has propelled them into playoff contention.
The phenomenal play of Lin came after graduating from a non-basketball school in Harvard and becoming and NBA journeyman cut by two teams. As an Asian American, Lin has sparked wide attention in the community as a role model and leader.
"Jeremy Lin's story is a great lesson for kids everywhere because it debunks and defangs so many of the prejudices and stereotypes that unfairly hold children back. He's dispelled the idea that Asian-American guards somehow couldn't hack it in the NBA -- and that being a world-class athlete on the court is somehow at odds with being an excellent student off the court," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan wrote in Time.
Last year, prior to his trade to the Jets, Tebow led a struggling Denver Broncos and a winning streak that won the AFC West, giving the Broncos a playoff birth. During the streak, Tebow was criticized by the sports media pundits on his quarterback mechanics, despite continuing to win.
In the playoffs against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tebow threw an electrifying touchdown strike to Demaryius Thomas on the first play in overtime, giving the Broncos a win 29-23 over the Steelers.
Tebow and Lin are also both well known in as devout evangelical Christians. Tebow's prayer following a touchdown became known as "Tebowing". In the off season, Tebow has spoken at several churches including on Easter when his sermon was attended by approximately 15,000 people.
For Time Magazine, it was Lin who wrote Tebow's piece.
"Watching Tim Tebow play football, you can observe many things about his character. You see his fierce competitiveness, his strong work ethic and how he is a leader that his teammates trust and respect," Lin wrote.