Joakim Noah is my favorite NBA player, and I don’t think it’s very close. I enjoy watching Ricky Rubio, Manu Ginobili, John Wall, James Harden, Anthony Davis, Stephen Curry play. But no play fascinates me like Joakim Noah. Noah has a brilliant personality. Noah has an excellent motor. Noah has an incredible defensive presence. He doesn’t have the size of Roy Hibbert or Marc Gasol, but he’s just as effective. He has always been a high-energy guy who benefits from playing in a great defensive system. He is one of the highest valued players in the League. If had to make a list of 12 players who are “un-tradeable,” Joakim makes that list. Not saying Noah is one of the 12 best players in the League because he is not. But he’s so important to the Bulls’ success.
Eight players in NBA history have had seasons with at least 4 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steals and 11 rebounds per game.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 4x, Kevin Garnett, Sam Lacy, Bob Lanier, Bob McAdoo, Joakim Noah, Bill Walton and Chris Webber.
Yeah, impressive company.
Noah might never put up the points. He averages 9.6 points a game for his career. But you’ll always get effort and defense from the former Florida Gator.
Here’s how I put Joakim Noah from a fan perspective. You hate Joakim Noah because he is not on your favorite team. You love Joakim Noah if he is on your team. Every NBA team (even Indiana, Memphis, Houston) would love to have Noah on your team (regardless if he’d start or come off the bench). That’s how Noah is viewed. Fans hate him. They hate his style of play. They hate his looks. They hate his hair. And they hate his attitude.
Noah is a free spirit. His favorite musician is Bob Marley. He used to look like this:
Noah doesn’t really care what you think of him. He had drug possession charges in college, and I’m fairly confident Noah smokes pot presently. Noah has never been afraid to speak his mind. He was openly upset about how the Bulls traded his long-time teammate Luol Deng recently. Here’s a loyal guy who means so much to an organization. This Bulls team should have been something special if it weren’t for Rose’s injury. Who knows, maybe the Bulls will sign Carmelo Anthony this offseason, and Rose comes back 100 percent healthy. That team would be excellent. Definitely one of the NBA favorites.
Noah has a reputation of being a jerk. He said “F&*$ You” to the refs last week in a game. He totally ripped on Cleveland during a press conference. But Noah is well-respected within the media. He gives thoughtful answers. He doesn’t hide the truth. He tells it as it is. And he says things in interviews like this:
So yeah, Joakim Noah is my favorite NBA player. I think he’ll be for a very long time.
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