If there's anybody that's more familiar with Joakim Noah‘s game, it's his head coach with the Chicago Bulls for five seasons, Tom Thibodeau.
Despite his former player's subpar showing so far this season, the veteran bench tactician only had good words to say about Noah. He raved about his all-around skills especially on passing which is arguably the most underrated facet of his game.
“He's got a very unique skillset. He's got great vision. He's got a great feel for the game. He'll make passes that a point guard will make.”
“And then, offensively, you got to get past looking at his shot. Just being honest. He's a great offensive rebounder. He's a great screener. He's a big-time multiple effort guy and he understands defenses and what people are trying to take away.”
“Defensively, there's not much he can't do. Great feet. Great pick-and-roll defender. He'll make post touches difficult. He'll make hustle plays that will get your team fired up. But like any player, the health is a big component. When he's healthy, he's elite. And I do believe he'll get there.”
His averages of 4.0 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game this year is far from his true potential but even if that's the case, there's still a lot to look forward to for the New York Knicks‘ fans as there's still a lot of games to play this season and Noah will only continue to be familiar with his new teammates.
If he's successful in speeding up his transition and stay away from injury, it won't be surprising if Thibodeau's claim eventually holds true and the 31-year-old Florida product can become one of the elite big men in the league once more.
Follow Us
Subscribe