Jeremy Lin hit the big stage over night at the beginning of 2012. Now no longer in New York City, Lin took advantage of his cover shoot for GQ magazine to spend time in the city he once played for. 

"I know it's kind of silly to talk about it with only two years under my belt in the league, but going in before free agency, I was like, 'I want to play in front of these fans for the rest of my career,'" said Lin to Will Leitch of GQ magazine. 

"I really wanted to play in front of the Madison Square Garden fans for the rest of my career, because they're just unbelievable."

Madison Square Garden wanted Lin to play there too. Fans even made a petition to prevent the New York Knicks from letting him walk away to Houston as they did not match the contract offered by the Rockets. 

Many consider it a dumb move for the Knicks, others believe it made sense for the team from a financial standpoint. 

Lin became so popular during his time in the NBA with the Knicks that couches the point guard slept on were becoming trending topics on Twitter and Lin merchandise sold out almost immediately after hitting the shelves.

Once the city he called home, Lin is only in New York when he has a chance to visit family or, as he told Leitch, "When we play here, I guess." 

The Rockets are due in New York on December 17, a week before Christmas. 

To check out a few of the photos Lin took in his shoot, click here. Warning, Lin looks mighty fresh in these outfits. 

To read Will Leitch's piece on Lin click here. Elton John fans, warning, they are calling Lin the "Rocket Man" now.