Honored last October, on the occasion of a “Joakim Noah Night”, “Jooks” is an iconic Bulls player. So much so that he was named ambassador of the Illinois franchise, on the sidelines of this special evening.
It must be said that it is in Chicago that Joakim Noah, retired for almost a year and whose 37th birthday we celebrate today, has forged his entire record. One of the finest in French basketball, along with Tony Parker and Rudy Gobert.
And the 9th choice of the Draft has never been stronger than between 2012 and 2014. Because it was precisely during his 2012/13 and 2013/14 seasons that he won his two All-Star selections Game (2013, 2014), his All-NBA First Team appearance (2014), his two All-Defensive First Team appearances (2013, 2014), and most importantly, his Defender of the Year award (2014) .
As you will have understood, Joakim Noah was clearly one of the references to his position in the early 2010s and, in 2013/14, no pivot was more “valuable” than him, not to say better than him. It is no coincidence that he finished fourth in the vote for the 2014 MVP, with 322 points, behind Kevin Durant (1,232 points), LeBron James (891 points) and Blake Griffin (434 points)…
In the footsteps of Abdul-Jabbar, Olajuwon and O’Neal…
Statistically, Yannick Noah’s son was also a machine when he activated his “all-around” mode. Author of seven career triple-doubles (only Nicolas Batum does better with the French, with nine), he is one of six NBA players to have managed a triple-double with at least 20 points, 20 rebounds and 10 blocks!
In history, only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (twice in 1975), Elvin Hayes (1978), Hakeem Olajuwon (twice in 1989), Shaquille O’Neal (1993) and Shawn Bradley (1998) can boast of say as much. Whereas, since that February 2013 evening discussed here, no one has joined this circle, which is as closed as it is prestigious.
Because that evening, more precisely on February 28, Joakim Noah was simply exceptional against Philadelphia, on the floor of the United Center.
At that time, without a Derrick Rose who was still recovering from his cruciate ligament rupture which occurred against these same Sixers, during the 2012 playoffs, the French pivot had naturally taken on the role of boss of the Bulls. Under the orders of a Tom Thibodeau who had made it his hub in attack and his anchor point in defense.
Already omnipresent in points, rebounds and blocks, “Jooks” accumulated bonus passes and interceptions with disconcerting ease for a player in his position. In 2013/14, he would above all become the seventh NBA player to average at least 10 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 1 against, over a full season!
A real balloon magnet
But Joakim Noah has probably never darkened the stats sheet as much as against the Sixers: 23 points (8/12 on shots and 7/9 on throws), 21 rebounds and 11 blocks, to go with his 3 interceptions and 1 assist, in 45 minutes of play!
Surrounded by Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer, Jimmy Butler, Kirk Hinrich or even Nate Robinson, the Frenchman thus made misery for poor Thaddeus Young, Spencer Hawes, Lavoy Allen and Arnett Moultrie inside. Also making Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner and Nick Young experience an ordeal, when they dared to venture into the racket, in front of the local control tower.
Defensive rebounds, offensive rebounds, counters, pick-and-roll dunks, rebound taps, right-hand and sometimes even left-hand hookshots… Chicago fans clearly witnessed a real “mixtape” of the part of Joakim Noah, who attracted absolutely all the balloons in the paint! Leading to a line of extremely rare statistics, therefore, and an authoritative victory for the Bulls.
Bulls who, during this 2012/13 season, would notably allow themselves to put an end to the incredible series of 27 consecutive victories of the Heat of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Before qualifying for the playoffs, with a status of seeded n ° 5, to eliminate (4-3) the Nets of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Brook Lopez and Gerald Wallace in the first round, then to fall logically (1-4) in the conference semi-final against Miami, then on the way to a second title in a row…
