Joakim Noah
| Joakim Noah | |
|---|---|
| College | Florida |
| Conference | SEC |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Position | Forward |
| Career | 2004–2007 |
| Height | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) |
| Weight | 232 lb (105 kg) |
| Nationality | USA |
| Born | February 25, 1985 (22) New York City |
| High school | Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville, New Jersey |
| Career highlights | |
| Awards | |
| 2006 Tournament MOP[1] 2006 AP All-SEC[2] 2007 AP All-American 2nd Team | |
| Championships | |
| 2006 NCAA Div I Championship 2007 NCAA Div I Championship 2005 SEC Tournament Champion 2006 SEC Tournament Champion 2007 SEC Tournament Champion | |
| Tournaments | |
| 2005 NCAA Tournament 2006 NCAA Tournament 2007 NCAA Tournament | |
Joakim Simon Noah (pronunciation: JO-a-kim;[3] born February 25 1985 in New York City) is a 6 ft. 11 in. American basketball player who played basketball for the University of Florida in the SEC of the NCAA from 2004-2007.[4] Noah was a member of the Gators' teams that won the 2006 and 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournaments.
Early life
Noah is an ugly BASTARD who has been known to have relations with Troy smith and corey brewer all while sucking it up in the NCAA tournament.
College career
During his freshman year at Florida (2004-2005), he played sparingly, clocking in just 10.3 minutes per game, and averaged only 3.9 points and 2.7 rebounds per contest. During his team's two NCAA Tournament games, he played a total of 3 minutes.[4]
During the summer of 2005, he was a key member of the runner-up H3 team at the Entertainers Basketball Classic at Rucker Park.[4]
Noah made significant improvement in his sophomore year (2005-2006), leading his team in points (14.2 ppg) and blocks (2.4 bpg), while ranking second in rebounds (7.1 rpg) behind teammate Al Horford (7.6 rpg). Almost unknown at the beginning of the season, Noah's draft stock improved continually. By the end of the NCAA tournament he was considered by many to be the top college prospect in the country, and had he declared for the 2006 NBA Draft he very likely would have been taken first or second. However, Noah, along with teammates Al Horford and Corey Brewer announced at their national championship celebration that they would return for their junior seasons.[4] Noah and the Gators would go on to repeat as champions.
2006 NCAA Tournament
Noah was named the Most Outstanding Player (MOP)[1] of the NCAA Tournament's Minneapolis Regional after leading the Gators over top-seeded Villanova in the final game with 21 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks. On April 3, 2006, Noah led the Gators to a 73-57 win over UCLA for the school's first NCAA Basketball Championship, and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. In the finale, he posted 16 points, 9 rebounds, and a championship game record 6 blocks.[1]
International
Though Noah could be eligible for international competitions such as the Olympics or World Basketball Championships by playing with the American, French or Swedish teams, he seems to be leaning towards playing for France. "The French National team is definitely something that has been in my dreams for a while."[1] Noah is also fluent in French.
Awards
- 2006 Associated Press (AP) All-SEC First Team[2]
- Named an Honorable Mention All-American by AP.
- A local late night talk show, Late Night Gainesville with Zach, started a campaign in June 2006 to rename a major throughway on the campus of the University of Florida to "Joakim Noah Road."
Height controversy
Although officially listed on the Gator roster at 6 ft 11 in it is rumored that he is 7 ft 0 in yet refuses to be listed as such as to "not look like a freak"[citation needed]. The rumor is substantiated at press conferences where Billy Donovan has called him 7 ft 0 in on more than one occasion, and Woody Paige said on Around the Horn during the 2006 NCAA Tournament that he is 7 ft 0 in. Conflicting this sentiment was an ESPN report during an NBA pre-draft workout which reported that he measured at 6 ft 8 in. At the NBA's official 2007 pre-draft camp, Noah's true height measured 6 ft 10.5 in (extended to 7 ft 0 in with the shoes he was wearing that particular day) and he weighed 223 pounds.
References
- ^ a b c "Florida... brings home NCAA title". NCAASports.com. Retrieved 2007-02-13.
- ^ a b Newberry, Paul (2006-03-15). "Tide's Steele selected to '06 All-SEC team". DecaturDaily.com. Retrieved 2007-03-08.
- ^ Brady, Erik (2004-03-22). "Star high school athlete becomes his own man". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2007-02-27.
- ^ a b c d "Joakim Noah Biography". Retrieved 2007-02-14.