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I guess he doesn't understand that teams try to trade up."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 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?"'
BECAUSE YOU SUCK AND ARE OVER RATED AND YOUR LUCKY IF YOU GO AT THE END OF THE FIRST ROUND, you HACK. YOU EDUARDO NAJERA slash KWAME BROWN part2
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 sop re.
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.
I guess he doesn't understand that teams try to trade up."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?"'
he is joke noah..he doesnt understand how horrible and ugly he is!!!
im sick of hearing how 'ugly' this guy is, its ing lame
but he does seem slightly overrated.....
i dont get it, wouldnt you rather be picked in the late 20's than the top 5? I understand there is some prestige at stake but as far as i know the salary is the same and late 20's is probably a better team, right?
There's been a huge backlash against Noah. Wasn't he a consensus no. 1 pick last year?
Okay, he's a winner...that's good. But if he can only score 12 pts. a game in college, how much will he score in the pros? Didn't Bruce Bowen drop 20 a game in the boys' league?
So they want to use a lottery pick on an "energy" guy. He better have a lot of energy. He better be able to board and D like Rodman.
He's going to be a flop. Varajao at best...maybe Malik.
im telling you, he is another eduardo najera, another sean may, another kwame brown. He is a second rounder.
He is all hype.
I've always thought that Noah seriously sucked ass. He's the reason I didn't like Florida. He sucks. Period.
thanks great link
The NBA is in serious trouble if a guy like this gets No. 3. I know big men are hard to find, but come on....
Perhaps he's good for media purposes? I mean, the "oh, look, there's Yannick Noah's son" thing.
not the subject but..noah will be french in few months
Can't STAND Noah...Couldn't stand his father and certainly not him ...
I am an SEC fan so am very familiar w/ his play .. I feel he's very overrated ..
It's really funny how you guys go at him... lol
I mean if he plays a decent rookie season a lot of you will have to show up and avoid dying from suffocation due to the size of the crow they'll be eating.
I don't get all this hate either. I'm a Tennessee fan, so I've seen him play a fair bit, I like to watch the SEC obviously. He went back to school, turning his back on millions - I like that about him. He won't carry a team, but he does all the little things, has all the intangibles, and should be an effective player in the NBA. He may have to go to the right team to realize all his potential - but I think he'll do well.
Last edited by coopdogg3; 06-23-2007 at 05:09 PM.
Dude has Cameroon blood in him. Noah owns all. Too bad Luc Richard Mbah a Moute decided to stay another year with the bruins. His stock and dropped the last couple years. He could have easily been a top 10 pick his frechman year after being big ten freshman of the year. Game is similar to Deng.
But Ruben Boumtje Boumtje from Cameroon didn't exactly work out.
I don't think he would be that bad in the nba. He has the potential to be more than a solid role-player on a team but he's definitely not worth the number 3 pick. He's a top 10 draft pick, and if Atlanta only considers taking him that early and passing up the much needed PG the GM should be fired. He's the best fit for the Bulls and maybe the Suns if they manage to trade up.
woops, nevermind!
thanks for the link
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