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Jeremy Lin never got a chance to play basketball at the KeyArena. The Seattle SuperSonics left to become the Oklahoma City Thunder two years before Lin made his debut in the NBA in 2010. The KeyArena to him and many other esports fans and players now is best known as the home of The International, the annual Dota 2 tournament, which has been held in Seattle since 2011.The prize pool for this years tournament is just over $20 million, the biggest ever in esports history. Its a prize pool larger than that of the Masters, Tour de France or the Kentucky Derby. The winning team will walk away with a little over $9 million. To put that figure into context, Lin made $762,195 during the height of Linsanity while he was with the New York Knicks four years ago.There was a basketball tournament this year that had a $2 million cash prize, and people were saying how crazy that was, and this is 10 times that, Lin said. It just shows that gaming is so much further along than people understand. If you look globally, gaming is huge, and it just shows theres significant interest and its accessible. Anybody can play anytime, anywhere, as long as you have good internet.Lin was one of the thousands of fans who packed the KeyArena for five days leading into Sundays final. He has been playing Dota since he was 16 years old with his brothers Josh and Joseph. He says he still plays three to four times a week, even during the NBA season, especially on the road, when hes in his hotel room.They were playing and I started playing just because I wanted to hang out with them, Lin said of his brothers. At first it was an awful game, because I was going 0 for 10 every single game with Bounty Hunter. How do you go 0 for 10 with Bounty Hunter? But eventually when I started to learn the game and get better, I started realizing this is like basketball. Its about having each others back, being loyal, being at that right place at the right time, outsmarting the other team. And theres this huge mental component in this competition that Ive always thrived off of. Thats why I love playing it.As he walked around the KeyArena, passing fans in costumes and hearing the roar of the sold-out crowd in the background, he said there isnt much of a difference between esports and traditional sports, even though traditional sports fans might be confused by the draw of watching two teams of five players, enclosed in soundproof glass cases, play on giant HD screens hanging above them.You get to see the best players, you get to experience the environment, and Im just a fan of the game, Lin said. Its like going to the NBA Finals and watching it. Any basketball fan would want to do that, so for me, I love coming here and experiencing it. Its not any different than traditional sports. When we come here and we watch these players playing in front of us, theyre doing things we cant do, which is really the big draw.Theyre doing something that everyone loves doing, but they just do it at another level and theyre extremely talented. Thats why you have this fanaticism, and thats why you have people lined up at midnight asking for autographs.Its really not any different than sports, Lin continued, except with sports theres more of a physical component of you doing it yourself, whereas in video games youre just controlling a hero that does the same thing. Its the unique talent of the players that is the draw.The popularity of the game internationally and the accessibility of the game, which is free to play on your computer, lead Lin to believe that maybe Dota or esports, in general, could one day officially be part of the Olympics. If youre laughing, take a look at some of the sports currently in the Summer Games rotation that have a fraction of the fan base and prize money currently involved in esports.Itll take a long time, but if it were up to me, Id wish it were faster, Lin said. If Im guessing, itll take five to 10 years.Theres no ceiling in terms of how big it can get, he added. I think e-gaming is going to follow the trends of society, when you look at Pokemon Go and how accessible iPhones and iPads are. Now everyone has access to iPhones and iPads around the world, and thats going to make e-gaming grow even more. Everyone is investing a lot of money in tech. I have no idea how big its going to get, but I do know this is only the beginning.Lin, who signed a three-year, $36 million deal with the Brooklyn Nets last month, is looking at getting more involved in esports by investing in an esports team. He wouldnt be the first athlete to do so, after Rick Fox founded Echo Fox last year. Shaquille ONeal, Alex Rodriguez and Jimmy Rollins also teamed up to invest in NRG Esports.Im looking into these opportunities, and its authentic, because I play the game three to four times a week and I have since I was 16 years old, Lin said. Ive been playing for the last 11 years, every week, several times, so its something I love doing. So Im definitely trying to get into this space as much as I can.Were still talking about endorsements. Im an NBA player, and Im taken care of very well. When I endorse a team, Ill take care of the team very well. I hope to [take] my experience from the NBA and bring it to esports.Despite the growing prize money and Lins love for the game, however, dont look for Lin to make a run at a second career as a professional Dota player after hes done with basketball.I have too much respect for what theyre doing, and Im too old to do what they do, Lin said. These are all young guys, and Im going into the prime of my basketball career, so Im going to stay in my lane. Luka Doncic Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Jose Juan Barea Jersey . -- Jonathan Drouin gave Halifax the boost it needed to edge host Sherbrooke Phoenix 3-2 in a shootout in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. http://www.mavericksteamofficial.info/jalen-brunson-mavericks-jersey/ .com) - Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Roger Federer were easy first-round winners Tuesday at the Australian Open. Kostas Antetokounmpo Mavericks Jersey . -- The Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake played to a 0-0 tie Saturday night that left the top of the Western Conference standings unchanged. Dirk Nowitzki Mavericks Jersey . JOHNS, N. PITTSBURGH -- DeAngelo Williams isnt obsessed with his numbers. The Pittsburgh Steelers running back isnt really keeping track of them anyway, though if hes being honest hes getting a little tired of his age coming up in nearly every conversation.Yes, Williams is aware hes 33, a time when backs are either retired or rapidly heading in that direction one carry at a time. And yet there Williams was, churning out a career-high 32 carries for 94 yards and adding four receptions for another 38 and a touchdown in a 24-16 win over the Bengals on Sunday.Somebody said in the locker room, `Youre either old or you are good, which one are you? Williams said. And I was like, `I dont know.By all accounts, Williams seems to be both.While the yards didnt come as easily in the rain at Heinz Field as they did last Monday in a romp over Washington, it hardly mattered. Williams found enough room to keep the chains moving, the Cincinnati offense off the field, and the Steelers unbeaten. Who cares if his yards per carry (a modest 2.9) wont exactly have fantasy football owners rubbing their hands with glee?Last Williams checked, he dealt in reality. And the reality is Williams is doing more than serving as a caretaker while LeVeon Bell serves his three-game suspension for violating the leagues substance abuse policy. He is thriving.Ill take a 3.0 (average) in a win any day as opposed to a 7.0 in a loss, Williams said.Williams also went over 10,000 yards from scrimmage on his career, the 13th active player to reach that plateau. Pardon him, however, if he doesnt get too worked up over it.Its yards man, he said. I am hunting one thing and one thing only, and its a Super Bowl. The 10,000 yards up until this point havent translated into a Super Bowl, so it means nothing to me.Maybe, but the 132 combined yards he piled up against Cincinnati meant plenty to the Steelers. It kept Pittsburgh afloat on a day quarterbaack Ben Roethlisberger wasnt his normally crisp self.ddddddddddddIt also served notice that while the years next to Williams name are climbing, the miles still remain relatively low.Williams is well aware one of the reasons hes still around is thanks to his nine seasons in Carolina, where he split carries with teammates, namely Jonathan Stewart. It worked for the Panthers. Theres every reason to think it may work for the Steelers when Bell returns in Week 4. Just dont expect Williams to start clamoring for it.Sure Williams believes hes good at his job. Its just that Bell is probably better.The thing I wanted to do when I got here, is when Bell went off the field, not to take any pressure off the defense, Williams said. But Bell is so dynamic when he plays the game I dont want him to come off the field.They do provide a study in contrast. While Bell will patiently wait for the blocks ahead of him to develop -- even occasionally placing one of his hands on the back of a lineman -- Williams takes a more direct approach. Whenever he met with resistance on Sunday, he lowered his head or his shoulders (or both) and tried to make room on his own.Hes also made an impact in the passing game. His touchdown grab on Sunday was his first since 2013, but also his 10th reception of the season. In 18 games with the Steelers Williams already has 50 catches. Thats nearly as many as he had from 2011-14 combined.Williams will get one more chance next week in Philadelphia before Bells familiar No. 26 is cleared to return. And Williams will cede the spot atop the depth chart to one of the leagues most versatile players. Hell still be plenty ready, however, when called on. Just like always.---Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '