Draft Prospect: Joakim Noah

[Marcus Bryant]

http://www.nba.com/media/draft2007/joakim_noah.jpg

Full Name: Joakim Simon Noah
Position: Forward/Center
Height/Weight: 6-11 / 232
Birthdate: February 25, 1985 (New York, N.Y.)
High School: Poly Prep Country Day School (Brooklyn, N.Y.), then The Lawrenceville School (Lawrenceville, N.J.)
College: Florida

nbadraft.net profile (http://nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/joakimnoah.html)
nba.com profile (http://www.nba.com/draft2007/profiles/JoakimNoah.html)
draftexpress.com profile (http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=589)

[Vito Corleone]

I see this guy as a washout as a draft pick but will develop over time to a solid role player much like Camby has in Denver. He is a guy that I would love in a spurs uniform but we have no shot until he is close to free agency.

[Kori Ellis]

I am not a Noah fan at all. I wouldn't even want the Spurs to try to trade up for him. I think the Spurs will try to trade into the 8-14 range. I wish they could pull it off, but it's doubtful.

[Solid D]

He's so talented for a Big. He has a lot of tools and some of his moves in the post remind me of Tim Duncan. Personality-wise, he's a wingnut. I see him being an outstanding NBA player IF he gets the right system and people around him. Unfortunately, his attitude is torqued at the "Sheed" setting.

[Solid D]

You have to look beyond the hate. He did plenty for U of F in both title runs, particularly so in their first one in 2006.

[ducks]

he did not work on his game at all during offseason
no thanks

[Vito Corleone]

I see him as another Camby, he will not be a great offensive guy he doesnt have the ability or body, but he can be great on the defensive side. Team him up next to a quality low post guy and he would be the perfect side-kick.

[mardigan]

Varejao 2.0

[Aud21946]

Reminds me of Tayshaun Price without the Midrange jumper.. His stock went down after last season.

[boutons_]

I think Noah, like his Papa, is a one-hit wonder, his hit being in college.

I don't see him making it in the NBA.

[michaelwcho]

You guys are harsh. Sure's he's overrated, but he should end up being a solid pro. If Varejao can make it, he can!

[Rynospursfan]

Reminds me of Tayshaun Price without the Midrange jumper.. His stock went down after last season.


He is nothing like Tayshaun Prince.

[Magic_Johnson]

He is horrible....He is skinny, overated and sucks. He did nothing for Florida during their title run it was all Horford and Richard that did most of the damage. I also hate how he yells everytime he scores or gets a rebound...holy shit, your 7 feet tall what are you yelling about!

well last year he was florida best player

[spurscenter]

I HATE THIS GUY. HATE HIM

NOOOOOOOOO

HE IS GOING TO BE EDUARDO NAJERA type PLAYER

FUCK HIM

I hate this guy so much.

[mardigan]

well last year he was florida best player
No he wasnt

[Bruno]

While each NBA fanbase thinks that Noah will be a bad player in nba, he will be picked with a lottery pick. It's kinda funny to see the difference in the evaluation of a player between fans and nba front offices. :rolleyes

[Sec24Row7]

I don't like the way Noah Moves AT ALL...

His jumper looks horrible...

His footwork is Horrible...

He hustles...

He doesnt have Hops...

We had this guy before.

His name was Malik Rose.

[BeerIsGood!]

Team pick on potential many times, and Noah has tons of potential. He has the tools, but his lack of progress in shooting or attitude between 2006 and 2007 would have me worried if I were picking him any higher than mid 20's

[boutons_]

"he does nothing while on the court except scream into the Camera"

no, he also flaps his arms like gator jaws. If only were as preoccupied with bball as he is with the camera.

[BradLohaus]

I see him as another Camby, he will not be a great offensive guy he doesnt have the ability or body, but he can be great on the defensive side. Team him up next to a quality low post guy and he would be the perfect side-kick.


I think so to. I don't think he'll realize his potential until he's on a contender with a good low-post scorer. He's not going to revitalize a bad team or anything like that.

[Rummpd]

Are you kidding me? Naysayers, if the Spurs could get a person who could easily been #1 a year ago near the end of the draft or a move up without a key piece do it.

He may have some holes in his game but he also has a lot of positives, and is an under-rated athlete. Ok he may not be the highest leaper but the guy is quick and smart.

Winners are under-rated, this guy has court savyness, super big game ability, is a shot blocker and wants to win/and will sacrifice for the team = sounds like a Spur!

[fuckespn]

He was the fourth best on his team last year

[pppp]

Don't let your hate blind you.

The guy did win the NCAA title b2b and was MOP (?) last year.

You guys sound like Suns fans talking about (hating on) Manu : overrated, ugly, one-hit wonder, etc.

Dont get me wrong, I'm not comparing him to Manu AT ALL, but they have at least this is in common : they are winners, they will do what it takes to win, and they don't seem to care about their own personnal stats.

Now I'm not saying that the Spurs should go after him, but (like it or not) that sounds like Spurs material.

[TampaDude]

I am a huge Gators fan, so I am biased...I think Noah will do just fine in the NBA, though Horford and Brewer will probably be more successful. I can see Brewer as a future replacement for Bowen. He's got the long arms and the quickness, plus he's a great shooter. Maybe pick him up in a trade a few years from now. Horford, well, he's ready to go right now. He's gonna make some coach very happy.

[spurscenter]

noah is gonna be Kwame Brown

just there.

[ducks]

Noah tries to show Hawks he's worthy of No. 3 pick

By CHARLES ODUM, AP Sports Writer
June 22, 2007

ATLANTA (AP) -- Joakim Noah mocks those who publish NBA mock drafts.

"I heard one of them is like a kid who is 16 years old in his basement," Noah said.

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But Noah knows enough to realize the NBA draft guessing game this year begins with the Hawks' No. 3 pick, and that's why he was in Atlanta on Friday for a workout.

Greg Oden and Kevin Durant are almost certain to be taken by Portland and Seattle with the first two picks on Thursday.

Some draft projections have the Hawks taking a Florida teammate of Noah's -- center Al Horford -- or Ohio State point guard Mike Conley Jr.

Noah, a power forward, tried to convince Hawks general manager Billy Knight and coach Mike Woodson that he should be the third pick.

"That's why I'm here," he said. "If I didn't think I had a chance I wouldn't be here."

The Hawks also pick 11th, but Noah hopes he's not around by then.

The draft decision by Knight, who wasn't talking on Friday, will affect the rest of the first round. Noah is as curious as anyone.

"You know who's going one and two," Noah said. "Then you have no idea."

It's a big decision for the Hawks.

"It's huge for our franchise," Woodson said. "We're in a position where we can either trade them if the trade makes sense or we pick two young guys who come in and fit in with the young guys we already have. I think the big thing about this draft is you can pick a guy who can come in and play right away. Last year we got caught when the injuries occurred, we just didn't have backup players that were ready to play."

Noah also has worked out for Boston (picking at No. 5), Minnesota (No. 7), Charlotte (No. 8) and Chicago (No. 9). He will work out for Memphis, which has the fourth pick, on Saturday.

Noah said trade speculation involving NBA stars Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett and the phone call he got Friday from the Phoenix Suns adds more mystery to the draft.

"The craziest thing about it is you have no idea also what's going to happen if these big guys go in trades, these superstars," he said. "As a player you just have to be ready for anything.

"Just today, I had an opportunity to go work out in Phoenix. Phoenix isn't in the lottery. Why would they call my agent and say 'We want him to work out?"'

Noah said he accepted the invitation of the Suns, who aren't scheduled to pick until No. 24

The 6-foot-11 Noah averaged 12.0 points and 8.4 rebounds as a junior to help Florida win its second straight national championship.

Florida's wealth of talent made it difficult for any player to consistently play a lead role, and Noah's scoring average fell from his 14.2 points per game as a sophomore.

Woodson said he doesn't consider Noah to be a "great scorer." Woodson also said the 232-pound Noah will need to add weight and strength to be a productive inside player in the NBA.

Even so, Woodson said he thinks Noah could make an immediate impact.

"You kind of cue in on what he actually does for his team," Woodson said. "The fact he defends and he rebounds and he runs the floor, for a 7-footer that's all you can really ask for. He's not a great scorer. He can finish at the rim. The fact he gets up and down the floor, he'll get buckets that way.

"I look at guys who can rebound and play defense and run the floor, and if you can do those three things you have a future in our league."

Knight has been criticized for failing to draft a point guard while instead picking versatile forwards in recent years. Knight picked forwards Shelden Williams and Marvin Williams in the first round the last two years, and in 2004 he took wing player Josh Childress and forward Josh Smith with two first-round picks.

The Hawks, who hit bottom with 13 wins in 2004-05, improved to 30 wins last season. Still, they finished in last place and missed the playoffs for the eighth straight year.

Last year the Hawks signed point guard Speedy Claxton to a four-year, $25.5 million deal, but Claxton missed 36 games with a sore left knee and started only 31 games. The team's lone All-Star, Joe Johnson, missed the final 21 games with a bruised right calf.

Woodson said he believes Claxton and another veteran point guard, Tyronn Lue, will be stronger in the 2007-08 season, possibly influencing their decision on Conley.

[florige]

Noah pretty much disappeared last season at Florida. If he had went ahead and made himself eligible last year for the draft he would had been a top 5 pick. This year I see him being a mid to late first rounder at best.

[spurscenter]

I feel sorry whoever picks this fool.

He is gonna suck Sean May style. PLayers are gonna own him and slap him around.

[Solid D]

"Just today, I had an opportunity to go work out in Phoenix. Phoenix isn't in the lottery. Why would they call my agent and say 'We want him to work out?"'

Noah said he accepted the invitation of the Suns, who aren't scheduled to pick until No. 24

This is the guy I think the Suns were hoping to get if Atlanta's lottery number had ended up lower down the line (PHX would have then gotten their pick).