Joakim Noah makes choice for NBA champions

Joakim Noah traveled to Mexico City for the launch of a new NBA Store, and while there, the former center for the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers shared his thoughts on the 2024–25 NBA playoffs.

Noah spent nine seasons with the Bulls, five of which he played under Tom Thibodeau, now head coach of the New York Knicks. Speaking to Diario AS, Noah said it was especially meaningful to see the Knicks just one win away from the Eastern Conference Finals – and doing it with “Thibs” made it even more special.

“Look, I grew up in New York City, so I understand what the Knicks mean,” he said. “I was at Madison Square Garden when Michael Jordan scored 55 points. I was there when Larry Johnson made the four-point play. So for me, this is the dream of my childhood.

“Now to see them with a chance to win a championship with a coach who was mine for six, seven years – I’m just really excited. Not just for the players and the coach, but for the city of New York, which has been waiting for this moment for a long time.”

The Knicks have won two NBA titles, but the last came back in 1973 when they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. Since then, they’ve made the Finals only twice – in 1994 and 1999 – falling to the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs, respectively.

A global game with personal roots

Noah also spoke about the importance of the NBA’s global outreach, something he has experienced firsthand. The league began its international expansion in the late 1970s with a Washington Bullets game in Tel Aviv. By the mid-1980s, with the McDonald’s Championship taking off in Europe, basketball was spreading rapidly around the world – and a young Joakim Noah was watching closely.

“For me personally, this story runs deep,” he said. “I’m from Paris, and the first global game was in Paris when Michael Jordan came with the Chicago Bulls. I happened to be in the arena. I was 10 years old when it happened. Just seeing Michael Jordan play was a huge inspiration. It made me work really hard as a kid.

“That’s the power of global games. That’s the power of how international this sport has become. You can be a kid with a dream and that dream can come true. I ended up playing for the Chicago Bulls for 10 seasons after that. So for me, that game was incredibly important. That’s why I try, as much as I can, to go around the world and talk about the importance of bringing the NBA to different places.”

The NBA has held regular season and preseason games in a long list of countries, including Mexico, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Germany, the Dominican Republic, China, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Brazil, India and the United Arab Emirates.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.

Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.