Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl

Knicks sensation Jeremy Lin has brands banging down his door in hopes of tapping him as a potential global-marketing juggernaut. But Lin, who already has the NBA’s best-selling jersey, and his inner circle are passing on easy money and quick deals to seek opportunities that will fit his squeaky-clean image.

“Jeremy’s agent, Roger Montgomery, has had over 1,000 e-mails from companies who want to strike endorsement deals with him,” said a source. “There’s been so much interest, and so many people reaching out, it is overwhelming. They’re working to build a team to handle all this, and hiring marketing and p.r. executives. He has met with IMG.”

Even at the current height of Linsanity, sources say the point guard’s reps have turned down offers from a wireless phone company as well as a watchmaker, potentially worth “millions of dollars”, say sources. Brands courting Lin are being tight-lipped to not to lose ground to competitors.

“Jeremy doesn’t want to jump into anything,” a source says. “He wants to sit back and wait and see what suits him. He’s not looking for the quick money. The deals have to be right.”

Another source added, “Asia is a major growth market right now for luxury brands. Using [Lin] in that market will be huge.”

Another branding guru said Lin’s potential doesn’t follow the usual path. “Every NBA player wants a contract with a luxury watch brand right now,” the insider said. “LeBron James is Audemars Piguet, Dwyane Wade is Hublot . . . But Jeremy is Harvard-educated, and he’s not going to do something flashy that’s just for the money.”

They said one category that would be a slam-dunk would be sports apparel, where deals can be worth anywhere from $1 million to $10 million a year.

But don’t expect to see Lin popping up in any ad campaigns soon: “These kinds of deals can take a year,” said a source. “They take forever to negotiate.”

WRITTEN BY NY POST & FULL STORY HERE