Joakim Noah is ending his NBA career. According to The Athletic, the former Chicago Bulls star is “effectively” retiring from the NBA after playing for 13 seasons. Noah, 36, spent his first nine seasons with the Bulls and is expected to retire as a member of the organization.
Noah was drafted No. 9 overall by the Bulls in 2007 after having a successful career at Florida. During his time with the Gators, Noah led the team to back-to-back national championships and was named NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player in 2006. He was also a consensus second-time All-American in 2007.
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When it comes to his NBA career, Noah had his most success with the Bulls. He was selected to his first All-Star game in 2013, but 2014 was his most successful year as he was named to the All-NBA First Team and named Defensive Player of the Year. He played in 80 games during the 2013-14 season and recorded 11.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. Noah and Michael Jordan are the only two players in Bulls history to be named Defensive Player of the Year. He left the Bulls after the 2015-2016 season and signed a four-year, $72 million contract with the New York Knicks.
“I have no anger towards nobody,” Noah said in an interview with the Chicago Tribune in 2016. “If we had a couple rough years at the end, I’m just still so grateful for the opportunity the Bulls gave me. It’s like a family to me. Even though it’s a new chapter for the end of my career to be in New York, I think Chicago is always going to be a home to me. Everywhere I go in this city, it’s always love. If I’m walking in the airport, wherever I am and someone’s from Chicago, it’s never animosity or negative or why did you leave us? It’s always very appreciative. And it’s humbling.”
Noah was released by the Knicks in October 2018 and signed with the Memphis Grizzlies in December of that year. He was with the team for one season and signed a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Clippers in March of last year. He was waived by the Clippers in early December.
