There was a Noah at the US Open this week, and it wasn't Yannick ! Forty years after his father's exploits in the tournament (three quarter-finals), it is Joakim Noah who was in New York to follow the Grand Slam tennis tournament. After discussing the impact of Frances Tiafoe and his choice not to follow in his father's footsteps on the courts, the former Bulls center answered questions about the evolution of French basketball.
“Being retired, I have more time and plans to travel. I also grew up in the basic French system. I am aware of the difference between the AAU circuit here in America and what is done there.” he explains. “The reality is that the competition is getting tighter and tighter. There’s not that dominance that the United States used to have. I really think the main reason, especially looking at the Olympic finals, is that the foundation of the system is not the same. That’s why you see all these young talents coming through the selection process.”
At a young age, you can project yourself to the next level
Joakim Noah is not the first to highlight the European player training system, but rather than discussing individual fundamentals, he focuses on the choice of integrating young people into the professional circuit, but also of giving the youngest the opportunity to see the pros very early on. “We saw Wemby, who is obviously the next face of the NBA. But they also do something on a day-to-day basis: the pro teams have an 18-and-under program and a 16-and-under program. Even at 12, on Saturdays, you can see the pro team or the 14-year-olds playing in the same gym, right after their game. Being able to see what the next level looks like and what it feels like is great for the young players.”
Since he mentions the Olympic final, what did he think of it? “It was an incredible game! Obviously, it was really powerful to see Stephen Curry and LeBron James playing together after all the great moments they gave us. The way Steph finished the game, in particular, was a real display of greatness. I felt like France really gave it their all and the French can be proud of their team. When you play in big games like this, it just inspires the next generation and I think basketball is in a really good place.”
