What you listed are factors for why this is a huge story, not the sole factors. That is the problem with your argument.
It is truly a perfect storm of events that is causing this maelstrom of attention. In no order:
- Asian American
- Harvard graduate (a "never was" in college basketball, as a program)
- New York Knicks starting PG (NYC being the "home" of PG's)
- Undrafted
- No D1 scholarships
- Cut by hometown Warriors this year
- Cut by Houston this year
- Almost cut by Knicks this year
- Played about 55 minutes total in first 22 games of the season (was a DNP for 13 of those games)
- Amare out for first few games of run
- Melo out for all 9 games in run
- Breaking Points records in first 5, 6, 7, 8, etc. starts
- Breaking Assist records in first 5, 6, 7, 8, etc. starts
- 8-1 in past 9 games
- Likeable kid
Compared to Westbrook, who is:
- African American
- Early NBA entrant from UCLA (true blueblood of basketball)
- Thunder PG
- 4th overall draft pick
- D1 scholarship
- Never cut by anyone
- Played in every game his rookie year and every game his second year and every game his third year
- Plays next to Durant who is still playing and not out
- Averaged 15.3 points in rookie year and 16.1 in second year
- Averaged 5.3 assists in rookie year and 8.0 in second year
- Has had some issues in the media/with the team (fair or not)
Don't get me wrong Westbrook is a fantastic player, but his story isn't as compelling as Lin's for many, many reasons besides race and playing for the Knicks.
Westbrook is averaging 25.2, 5.4 assists and 4.7 rebounds in February with 5.2 TO's. Lin 22.1, 7.8 assists and 3.6 rebounds in February with 5.2 TO's. Lin has better shooting averages from the floor and 3, but worse from the line. Lin's stats above include 2 games where he played a combined 7 minutes. If you take those 2 games out (which is where Linsanity started) he is at: 25 Points, 9.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 5.9 TO's. That's a decent A/TO ratio, whereas Westbrooks is barely above 1:1. Those are HOF numbers if they remain at those levels. The fact he has been able to do it even this long is amazing, considering most thought this streak would go away after game 3.