New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin and New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow were selected by Time magazine as two of its "Top 100 Most Influential People in the World."

Four other athletes made Time's list: tennis player Novak Djokovic; golfer Yani Tseng; soccer player Lionel Messi; and South African runner Oscar Pistorius.

The Jets traded for Tebow this offseason after the former Florida quarterback took the NFL by storm in leading a struggling Denver Broncos team to the playoffs and a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Lin wrote the portion of the magazine piece on why Tebow was selected.

"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.

"But it is the qualities that Tim, 24, embodies in his life off the field that truly set him apart. He is unashamed of his convictions and faith, and he lives a life that consistently reflects his values, day in and day out. ... As athletes, we pour our hearts into winning games. Tim is a reminder that life is about much more than that."