Source: Mike Ehrmann / Getty
After 13 years in the NBA, Joakim Noah is hanging up his NBA jersey.
Yesterday social media was abuzz with news that Noah, the former ninth overall pick of the 2007 NBA draft, was “effectively retiring” from the game of basketball after more than a decade of terrorizing backboards and delivering stellar defense on the court. Though the 36-year-old center never got that elusive NBA championship ring, he did have a respectable career averaging 8.8 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.
13-year NBA center Joakim Noah — a two-time All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year winner — is effectively retiring from basketball, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
Plan is for the longtime Chicago star to eventually retire as a Bull.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 1, 2021
Over his 13-year career, Noah earned himself a spot on the NBA All-Defense team and was awarded the Defensive Player of The Year for the 2013-14 season. That same year he came in 4th in the NBA MVP race coming in behind Blake Griffin, LeBron James, and the winner, Kevin Durant. Not at all bad company to be in. Well, Griffin fell the f*ck off the map, but still.
Unfortunately, over the years Noah was snakebitten by the injury bug and constantly found himself in and out of the game only to end up going from a potential MVP winner to a bench-warming journeyman in the league. His last contract came in 2020 when he joined the Los Angeles Clippers inside of the NBA “bubble” in Florida last August, but the team eventually waved him in December and he’s since thought about calling it a wrap.
Having started his career with the Chicago Bulls alongside Derrick Rose, Noah is looking to end his career in a Bulls uniform though no word on whether or not Chicago would sign him to a day-long contract to afford him that honor.
Thanks for the memories, Joakim. God speed in your next venture, homie!
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Photo: Getty
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