Name: Joakim Noah (pronounced JO-a-kim)
Position: PF/C
Height: 6’10”
Weight: 232 pounds
Birth Date: February 25, 1985 (25 years old)
Birth Place: New York, NY
Number: 13
Nicknames: Dr. No, Jo, Jo-No, Noah Kim-Joa, The Joker
College: Florida
Drafted: 2007, 1st Round, 9th overall by Chicago
Experience: 3 seasons
Previous teams: None
Expect: Rebounding, defense, crazy energy, crazier hair
Don’t expect: Any slacking off
2010-11 Overview:
Last season, Joakim was breaking out. Seriously. He ranked in the top 10 in Rebounds Per Game (11.0), Defensive Rebounds Per Game (7.6), Offensive Rebounds Per Game (3.4), Rebounding Rate (20.4) and Defensive Rebounding Rate (12.9) and Defensive Rating (101.0). Furthermore, he set career highs in Minutes Per Game (30.1), Free Throw Percentage (.744), Points Per Game (10.7), Blocks Per Game (1.6) and most of his advanced stats as well (Player Efficiency Rating, Assist Percentage, Usage Percentage and all his rebounding stats).
Noah also had 28 double-doubles last season. That’s more than Kevin Durant, Lamar Odom, LaMarcus Aldridge, David West, Andrew Bynum and Dirk Nowitzki. And it’s only four fewer than LeBron James. It’s no wonder Charles Barkley thought Noah should have been an All-Star.
I’m just sayin’.
As 2010 began, Joakim was playing the best basketball of his career. His January numbers: 14 games, 13.4 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 52 percent shooting from the field and 88 percent shooting from the line (52-for-59). It’s probably no coincidence that the Bulls went 10-5 that month. It was their best month of the 2009-10 season.
Unfortunately, Noah developed a nagging case of plantar fasciitis. In February, he played only six games, starting twice. In March, he again played only six games, all off the bench. The Bulls went 12-17 during those two months, including 4-11 in March. That was their worst month of the season.
But Noah was ready for the playoffs, during which he averaged 14.8 PPG (52 percent from the field, 94 from the line), 13.0 RPG adn 2.6 APG against a pretty ginormous Cleveland frontcourt. Unfortunately, the Bulls lasted only five games.
Still, as long as he stays healthy, I think Noah could become an All-Star this season.
On offense:
Prior to last season, Noah’s offense was extremely limited, with almost all of his scoring coming from layups, dunks and putbacks. And, frankly, he almost always looked hesitant to shoot. As a result, unless he was within a few feet of the basket, his defender would sag way off him to provide extra help defense and disrupt passing lanes.
During the summer of 2009, there were rumors that Noah had spent significant time adding strength, working on his post game, and improving his lower body mechanics and overall balance.
It showed.
In addition to his usual array of around-the-basket stuff, Noah added a hook shoot (either righty or lefty, but usually righty) and even started shooting his awkward more frequently…and more successfully. In 2009-10, Joakim wasn’t going crazy from the outside, but he attempted 100 more outside shots than he did the previous season. What’s more, he shot 40 percent of better in multiple zones. And according to Hoopdata, Jo hit 40 percent of his shots from 10-15 feet and 43 percent of his shots from 16-23 feet. I’m not saying I want Joakim chucking it up from the outside…but being able to stick a jumper now and again is a nice attribute for your big man to have.
The new skills made Noah more aggressive. Now, when his defender stood back, Noah tried to make him pay. And it showed. In 2009-10, Noah set a new career-high in points (21). He had 37 games in which he scored in double figures and three games of 20+ points. The previous season, he scored in double figures only 20 games and never once scored as many as 20 points. This is especially meaningful when you consider that Noah played 16 fewer games in 2009-10 and spent the better part of three months hobbled by a foot injury.
If Noah continues to expand his offensive game, the sky’s the limit.
Scoring aside, Noah is also a willing and crafty passer, a demon on the offensive glass, and capable setter of screens and picks. When he scores a bucket, it’s a bonus. However, Noah is just as effective off the ball. He doesn’t need shots to contribute, which is a valuable quality considering the fact that guys like Derrick Rose, Carlos Boozer and Luol Deng will need their fair share of touches.
On defense:
Whatever Noah still lacks in offensive proficiency, he makes up for in defensive intensity. While it’s true that bigger, stronger post players (like Shaq or even Andrew Bogut) can usually outmuscle him down low, he’s pretty accomplished in most other areas. His transition defense is fantastic, he can pick up smaller, quicker players on switches, and he rotates extremely well. He can even press and trap when asked to do so, mostly due to his natural athleticism and (more importantly) his willingness to scramble all over the floor.
Last season, Noah ranked 14th in the NBA in Blocks Per Game (1.56) and 17th in Blocks Per 48 Minutes (2.49). Those numbers represente a minor backslide from the 2008-09 campaign, which was due primarily to the plantar fasciitis. During that February-March stretch in which he appeared in a mere 12 games, Noah managed only six blocked shots (including a measely one block in February). However, in eight April games — by which time he was finally healthy — Noah had 17 blocked shots.
And anyway, as I’ve already mentioned, Noah still managed to rank in the top in Defensive Rebounding, Defensive Rebounding Rate, and Defensive Rating. Despite a broken wheel. When healthy, the kid’s got it. That’s all I’m saying.
Don’t forget: Tom Thibodeau’s league-leading defense in Boston was predicated on Kevin Garnett acting as the team’s defensive anchor. KG was the foundation of that system because of his natural skills, dedication to defense, court IQ and the ability to communicate effectively with his teammates. Noah has similar capabilities. Expect him to become Thibodeau’s new defensive anchor.
Miscellaneous:
Noah has true passion a real thrill for competition. He almost always plays at a frenetic, high-energy pace and he would walk face-first through a brick wall to win. You want someone like that on your team. His energy, enthusiasm and sheer desire make him almost untouchable from a trade standpoint. His intangibles — not to mention his not inconsiderable tangibles — are key components to team victories.
Summary:
Noah is everything you want in a teammate: talented, passionate, driven and unselfish. He’ll probably never be a 20 PPG scorer. However, he has developed the ability to make significant offensive contributions while also beng a big-time game-changer on the defensive end.
More Joakim:
NBA.com profile
ESPN.com profile
Basketball-Reference profile
82games.com Player Stats
Wikipedia entry
Bonus video:
Here’s what Joakim Noah does:
Preaching to the choir. Hey Matt, any chance you can accelerate the ones on the new Bulls and where you see them fitting in this year? I’m curious to see more of your detailed analysis on the former Jazz trio.
“Hey Matt, any chance you can accelerate the ones on the new Bulls and where you see them fitting in this year? I’m curious to see more of your detailed analysis on the former Jazz trio.”
Can do, will do. Carlos Boozer is up next. Expect that one in a day or two.
I have never heard anyone pronounce Noah’s first name as JO-a-kim. It’s always been JO-KIM, although in college some announcers would say JO-KEEM.
Hey Matt, Carmelo is on the market. Time to start an Anthony to the Bulls campaign in earnest. I know you like Deng, (so do I), but if the Bulls have a chance to get ‘Melo without giving up Noah, they have to do that deal. It’s the difference between getting to the second round versus contending for the Finals.
GET ‘Melo.
i told everybody that we need NOAH on draft night.i was right, ask my homiez in tha hood.letz get R FERNANDEZ and never let LePAWN JANES get a ring.
I really don’t get all the Carmello Anthony love. We’ve already got 2 players on the squad now that are going to want touches and plenty of them. How many times have we gone over the fact that basketball isn’t just about grabbing up as many stars as you can find and stuffing them all onto one team and telling them to go win. Remember when Iverson and Melo were on the same team and everyone thought they’d score a million and play off each other so so well? Yeah, that went over like a lead balloon. How about the time that Karl Malone went to the Lakers so he could win a championship before he retired? Nope, no dice there either.
It’s about continuity and everyone on the squad knowing, accepting, and excelling at their role. I, frankly, don’t think the team needs another volume shooter. I think Derrick Rose can be our go-to guy if we need points. I mean, look at him last year. There were times when he just could not miss. I see him going for 25 a game this year, without much difficulty, especially since he’s added a 3-ball to his arsenal. I’m not going to retard his development so that Melo can jack up 20 shots a game night in and night out.
@ Gorditadog
And I hate it espn announcers act like they know everything and pronounce it YO-keem. I like to call him Joah Noah lol.
Eight days till camp…
TexasBearsFan… Iverson and Melo played great together… The supporting cast not so much… If the bulls got melo for deng, this would be his best team with rose, boozer, and noah… In my opion they would be far better than miami… With two of the best mobile bigs in Boozer and Noah( BOTH AVG 11RPG) … The fastest PG in the league D-ROSE. Melo providing his great scorering on the wing… and With the d of brewer… Cum on Now… TELL ME U DONT LIKE HOW THAT SOUNDS..??
AFter reading through these comments a couple of things stick out: LOL at the guys who keep acting like the Buls must get Rudy Fernandez. WHY?????? If you think Rudy Fernandez is the missing peice to the Championship then please stop watching basketball because you have no clue. Fernandez is Average at best. ALso, many people acting like they don;t want Carmelo to become a Bull. If we could do a Deng-Taj-JJ-Draft Picks trade for Carmelo then hecks yeah do it. I don;t want to give up Noah because that weakens our great PF-C combo we got now, a combo that could dominate many teams and make life miserabe for a Dwight Howard. But without Noah Dwight Howard will go nuts. A Big FOur (Rose-Carmelo-Boozer-Noah) with quality role players is better than a big 3 (Wade-James-Bosh) with no good role players.
1st Let me start By saying I would not give up Noah in a trade to get Melo.
Why we should’nt give up Noah ever since the post Jordan era the bulls had been looking for a center with no luck that is until Noah came along in the draft.
Post Jordan era we had been looking for a point guard and thanks to the Lottery Balls and a lot of LUCK LUCK LUCK along came D-Rose in the draft.
Ever since the post Jordan era we’ve been in desperate need of a power foward and thanks to the bulls management this season in opening up their wallets we got Boozer!!!! Like the pick if Boozer stays healthy which we need him to do desperatly.
ever since the Jordan era we have been looking for quality shooting guards and small forwards and again finally the bulls realized that they would have to spend a little cash to get some very good quality shooters and fowards.
Yes we can now say we have a quality basketball team that can compete every year and compete in the playoffs and i mean deep in the playoffs!!!!!
But by adding Anthony at the expense of Deng, Taj, James Johnson and draft picks and cash considerations to get Anthony, we would go from being a very good team to an unbelievably great team!!!!!!
But if they give up Noah then we really wouldn’t be improving our team, we would basically stay the same and again we would be looking for a center!!! No way Noah stays!!!!
Would we be losing some bench help yes we would but hey we can always pick up players to fill the bench role just like every team does ever year!!
We would have a lethal front court that could stack up against every team in the NBA Boozer, Noah, Anthony….
We have a very very good back court with Rose, Brewer/Watson/Korver……
I love our chances with this team and don’t forget we would still have a pretty damn good bench…..
Guys like I said before live in Boston Who is a Die Hard Bulls fan….. I want to see the BULLS on national TV again I want to get hyped and amped up again when the bulls take the floor like I did when MJ took the floor!!!!!!!
Now mind u I’ll still get amped and hyped up with our current team and hope I get to watch more BULLS games this year, but it would make it a little bit sweeter with Anthony on our team!!!!!!!!!! GO BULLS!!!!!!!! CAN’T WAIT FOR THE SEASON TO START!!!!!!!!! BULLS #1
I guess Elton Brand was not a very good PF accor4ding to GCB.
If I am the Bulls GM, I do not make a move for Melo until Feburary. I want to know what I have first. Do I need Melo to be a force in the East? Right now I would offer Deng, JJ and a draft pick for Melo, take it or leave it. In February if the rest of the bench steps up I might be willing to part with Gibson also. But I don’t really want to make a move until I know what I have. Remember, Denver is playing chicken here, if they don’t make a trade they end up losing Melo to FA and getting nothing in return.
This is exactly what I’m talking about. 1st man, wake up. They aren’t going to give you Melo for Deng straight up. That’s a retarded trade; they wouldn’t do it. The only way you’re gonna pry him away from the Nuggets before the season or during this season is you pay through the nose.
So let’s trade them Deng, Gibson, JJ and draft picks for Melo. Well, yeah, that’s just wonderful. It looks soooooo good on paper. Great. Then what do we do if it *doesn’t* work? We get a star who’s disgruntled on his current team even though he’s the only focal point (which he wouldn’t be here, I guarantee you). We also would have *no* bench left, no draft picks, no nothing. Then we’re screwed. Or, better yet, what if Melo decides to bolt for South Beach or for someplace else after we sold the farm to rent him for 7 months. Oh, that’d be just sweet. But lets say we keep him. Now we’ve gotta pay him big money, because players like him always take big money. What happens when Noah needs a contract after this season? And when Rose needs a new contract? You think they’re gonna play for nothing? You think that Melo won’t cost more than Deng and a bunch of rookies combined?
So to answer your question, no. I don’t like how that sounds at all.
BoppinBob… 4 GET ELTON BRAND OLD TAIL
Matt Steigenga… THATS WUT I WAS TRYIN TO SAY…
CANT WAIT TO SEE THIS SEASON…
I would love for the Bulls to land ‘Melo if it does not cost Noah. However, if ‘Melo does leave Denver, his first choices are probably Knicks or Nets since NYC is where his wife La La is at. And if Denver let’s ‘Melo go, and if they are not getting a top ten superstar back, they would most likely want to rebuild and would not take on a contract such as Deng or Iggy.
This just in. I heard from a reliable source close to LA LA, (not to be confused with LAL LAC), that ‘Melo is staying put in Denver. All the rumors are just hype being generated by ESPN and NBA to keep fans interested during the lull after the end of FIBA World championships and before camp starts.
Guess they have lot of people fooled, me included. LOL
And you heard it here first: Elton Brand of 1999-2001 is the greatest low post scorer in the post dynasty era that the Bulls have had. Unfortunately fat boy Krause sold him away for toilet paper (which had poop wiped on it may I add) aka Tyson sucky Chandler. If the Bulls would have never traded away Brand I guarantee we would have won at least one or two Eastern Conference Titles already and maybe an NBA Title. Remember from 2002-2007 the East was soft (okay yes DET won it all in 2004 in a top heavy East and Heat in 2006 barely escaped a Bulls team—and if that Bulls team still had Brand then they hands down beat Miami in 06 and win the East and they beat Dallas in the FINALS). Heck Bulls in 2007 win East and sure as heck don;t get swept by Spurs like the Cavs did. WIth Brand that series goes 7 (Brand and Duncan at the peak of their careers matched up, wow). But thats all would’ve could’ves thanks to old moron management.
THE PRESENT: Geting Carlos Boozer is like regaining the 1999-2001 Elton Brand back. Thank you MNGT for cashing in on that one. I think Noah-Boozer is the best C-PF combo in the east. Obviously Bosh is playing alongside a scrub Center, Howard a scrub PF, and KG-PErkins is a story of an old fart and a crippled. ANd no don;t say “THey got Shaq and Jermaine”. You might as well say they got some old tall guys from the poker houses.
Elton Brand who, he has spent more time on the disabled that they have already reserved a seat for him…. Come on now boppin bob he was a waist of a draft pick and everyone knows it…. All he cared about was the big payday and wants that happened he decided to take a vacation and what better way to take a vacation he gets injured…. Elton Brand who
Guys i don’t get this whole love affair with Deng, he is an undersized small forward that plays decent defense. But lets not forget he is injury proneeeeeeeee!!!!!!!! just when we think he has his act together and starts to play decent ball, he reserves his seat on the injury list….. when he starts to get bumped around by other players he comes up with an ailment that forces him to miss a few games and or weeks….. guys i like deng but give him up to denver along with johnson and draft picks and some cash and get anthony.
And if Anthony bolts at the end of the season then so be it… its not like we gave up a lot to get him…. if we make it to the playoffs then our draft picks would be towards the bottom anyway so big whoop… if Denver doesn’t bite then squash all this talk and forget about Anthony and prey that Deng proves everyone wrong about his play.
I doubt the Nuggets would trade Melo for just Deng Taj or JJ. The Nuggest would be desperate to make that move. Look for a better deal than if you can’t revisit that trade.
For some reason i’m receiving a blank page when i make an attempt to post a comment,do you recognize the reasons why its transpiring?i’m employing oprea web-browser
I’ve got no love for Noah, but given where we stand, we could do a lot worse, especially defensively. Though in the playoffs Shaq and Howard will eat Noah up.
Agree we should offer Deng, Gibson and a pick for ‘Melo.
Fair point, however, the problem usually is that not everyone accepts their role. I can definitely see Noah holding out/asking for a trade if he’s not paid what he thinks he’s worth.
Comment by TexasBearsFan — September 20, 2010 @ 9:22 pm
6.I really don’t get all the Carmello Anthony love. We’ve already got 2 players on the squad now that are going to want touches and plenty of them. How many times have we gone over the fact that basketball isn’t just about grabbing up as many stars as you can find and stuffing them all onto one team and telling them to go win. Remember when Iverson and Melo were on the same team and everyone thought they’d score a million and play off each other so so well? Yeah, that went over like a lead balloon. How about the time that Karl Malone went to the Lakers so he could win a championship before he retired? Nope, no dice there either.
It’s about continuity and everyone on the squad knowing, accepting, and excelling at their role. I, frankly, don’t think the team needs another volume shooter. I think Derrick Rose can be our go-to guy if we need points. I mean, look at him last year. There were times when he just could not miss. I see him going for 25 a game this year, without much difficulty, especially since he’s added a 3-ball to his arsenal. I’m not going to retard his development so that Melo can jack up 20 shots a game night in and night out.