Sarah Palin is the latest basketball fan to come down with a case of Linsanity.

The former governor of Alaska and 2008 vice presidential candidate has been in New York this week and was taped by TMZ cameras walking out of a store showing off her Jeremy Lin T-shirt and expressing her admiration for the Knicks’ overnight sensation.

“What an American story,” Palin said, according to The State Column. “Its great. It’s uplifting, it’s positive, it unifies our country. You’re talking about kind of this underdog who’s worked so hard and overcome a lot, we’re big fans of Lin.”

Lin is the 2010 Harvard graduate the Knicks plucked from the NBA scrap heap in December who has become an unlikely superstar. After coming off the bench to score 25 points and total seven assists in a victory over the Nets on Feb. 4, Lin has started every game at point guard and averaged 26 points in sparking a seven-game winning streak that has reversed the team’s fortunes.

The streak was snapped Friday night when the New Orleans Hornets turned away the Knicks, 89-85 — but the Linstigator poured in 26 in the losing effort.

"Talk about an All-American story: the underdog who works so hard, erased all the stuff out on the periphery in his life that didn't matter,” said Palin, quoted in The Cutline on Yahoo! News. “Humble. And look at where he is, man — putting his talent to good use!"

Palin, a former Alaska TV sportscaster, joins other political notables such as President Barack Obama and New York Sen. Charles Schumer who have admitted to being caught up in the Lin craze that is sweeping the nation.

She also showed off her Lin shirt on Fox News, where she has made several appearances this week to discuss the Republican presidential race. And while Alaska doesn’t have an NBA team, Palin says she has adopted New York.

“All of the sudden our team is the Knicks,” Palin said. “Linsanity, man!”

—JOE GREENE, NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM