“It was a hell of an adventure” : Joakim Noah, one of the most beautiful records in French basketball, twice selected for the All-Star Game and named best defender in 2014, ended his career at 36, after thirteen passionate seasons in the NBA.
“Thank you to all those who have shown me love throughout my journey”, wrote soberly, Monday 1er March, on his Instagram account, the one who wore the Chicago Bulls jersey for a long time, confirming information from the site The Athletic.
Since being released from his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers this winter, the prospect of Noah putting his sneakers away has been expected. Three months ago, his agent, Bill Duffy, announced the suit, believing he was heading “Very probably towards retirement”. According to The Athletic, Noah would also like to act in the Bulls jersey, as did former Celtic Paul Pierce, who had signed a final one-day contract with Boston.
With the Chicago team, who dreamed of a glorious tomorrow after the Michael Jordan era (six titles between 1991 and 1998), Joakim Noah only missed one title to make the story perfect, so much the fans appreciated his dedication and his constant ferocity on the floors. Alongside the other star of the team, Derrick Rose, they approached it in 2011, beaten in the eastern conference final by the Miami Heat (4-1) of LeBron James, one of his “Best enemies” with which he will have fought great physical and verbal battles.
Named in the NBA major five in 2014
In total, Noah (2.11 m), selected in 9e position in June 2007 after being two-time NCAA varsity champion with the Florida Gators in 2006 and 2007, made the playoffs six times in a row (2009-2014) with the Bulls.
In 2014, when he won the league’s best defenseman trophy (he climbed to 618 rebounds with the Bulls that season), he was also part of the “best five”, averaging 13 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, more than one block and one interception per game. It is even 4e votes for the title of MVP.
In 2016, he followed Derrik Rose to New York, the city where he was born on February 25, 1985. But the project of the president of the Knicks, Phil Jackson, former coach with eleven rings (six with the Bulls and five with the Lakers), is a fiasco. And to make matters worse, he was punished with a twenty-game suspension in March 2017 for having tested positive for a prohibited substance.
Noah bounced back with the Memphis Grizzlies (2018-19), to the point where the Lakers and Clippers covet him for the following season. But he injured an Achilles tendon, one of the most serious physical problems that has punctuated his career, with his left knee operations in April 2014 and his left shoulder in April 2017.
Finally recovered, the Clippers hire him in March 2020, but the Covid-19 pandemic delays his return, which finally takes place during the summer in the “Bubble” sanitary facilities at Disney World, where the team is ultimately eliminated in the Western Conference semifinals by Denver. The player, who had an additional year of unsecured contract, is ultimately not retained by the California franchise.
Dotted with the Blues
What characterized the player Noah is his fighting spirit at all times, his defensive aggressiveness, on the rebound and against. His passing game too, far above average for an interior. What earned him to become the second French after Tony Parker to play in the All-Star Game, before Rudy Gobert joined them in this closed club.
A player with a little academic and often mocked shooting technique, especially on the free throw line where his average around 75% remains correct, Noah managed seven triple-doubles (three categories – points, rebounds, assists, etc. – to more than 10 units) in the NBA, and 218 double-doubles, including 22 in the playoffs. His career record is 30 points in the regular season and 25 in the playoffs.
The story of Joakim Noah, son of the former tennis star Yannick, the last Frenchman to win Roland-Garros, was on the other hand written in dotted lines with the French team. Also Swedish through his mother, Cecilia Rodhe, he only wore the Blues jersey 22 times between 2009 and 2011, still winning silver in the 2011 European Championship with in particular Tony Parker, beaten in the final by Spain.
