Should Joakim Noah Be The Pick?

[BusBoyIsBack]

Well we have established that Brandan Wright, although he has a mindset of a post player, he doesn't have the size of one (or at least right now).

Those who seem to be knowledgeable of Yi don't think he can be a post player either.

Roy Hibbert, the 2nd best post player just left back for school.

So who does that leave among the big men?

Who's the last 7 footer?

Why none other than the man everyone loves to hate.

Everyone's favorite pick to be an NBA bust, none other than the one the only, Joakim Noah.

Some go as far as to say they would rather have anybody in this draft but Noah.

But why? What is so wrong about a guy who was the cosensus #1 pick in last year's draft?

I'll tell you what's wrong, NOTHING.

Now I have only seen a few UNC games, I haven't seen any Yi Jianlian games, but I've seen a whole lot of UF games.

And this guaranteed "bust" that people see I don't see.

Sure Noah is very raw offensively and has no jump shot whatsoever, but guess what? That's not what we need. As much as I've been captivated by the dunks of Yi Jianlian in his highlight reels and the power finishes of Wright, what we really need is the best guy defensively.

Hibbert would have been the obvious choice, but the next best guy at interior defense is Noah. There was a reason why the guy's been compared to Andrei Kirilenko and it isn't because of his ability to ocasionally shoot threes.

Noah is a force defensively. He has more than the long arms for show. He's got the lateral quickness and great timing.

There have been times when I've actually expected Noah to block people kind of like Smoove when he catches people on those fast breaks.

What will the critics say? Oh but he's too thin. BS. Noah has gone up against people with a whole lot stronger center of gravity like Glenn Davis and he's held his own. Now granted Davis isn't exactly highly touted NBA prospect anymore, the point is i've never seen Noah's strength be that big of a problem.

WHat I have seen is the guy get noticeably more defined as h e put weight on before the previous season and he's probably putting more weight on right now. Who knows what he'll weigh at pre draft measurements.

Look I may be way off base with the Brandan Wright stuff and Yi Jianlian. I admit I know very little about those guys.

But I have followed Joakim Noah's career ever since we just pulled for the guy as a Freshman because he was the cool 7 foot guy who hung out at the student dining hall.

I have seen him grow as a player. I'm telling you with that passion he plays with, that intensity, it would be contagious. He could help light a fire in Smoove's belly making him come out hard every night instead of frustrating us.

He would be an instant fan favorite. No he may not ever come close to scoring 20 PPG, but Im telling you he would do enough defensively to warrant the pick.

The fact that Varajeo has that type of impact on Cleveland and Noah has FAR MORE upside is all you need to see.

Like I said, sure he has to put a lot of work in his jumpshot and in the weightroom but if there was ever a guy's work ethic I wouldn't question it's Joakim Noah.

He has that genuine love of the game that is very rare in professional sports

[AtLaS]

If we're talking about #11 and we already have a PG, then I'm all for it. At #3 I might jumpoff a cliff.

[BusBoyIsBack]

It would have to be at #11.

There was a slim, slim chance Noah was going to fall out the top 10. I mean very slim. Now it's pretty much impossible.

At #11 we could still take our PG in Acie Law.

Adding two experienced players who bring intangibles to the table with their passion for the game, and that would really light a fire under this team.

Wouldn't be too shabby a basketball team either.

Acie Law

Joe Johnson

Marvin Williams

Josh Smith

Joakim Noah

Athletic enough to run, stout enough defensively to play in the halfcourt

[dakast]

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It would have to be at #11.

There was a slim, slim chance Noah was going to fall out the top 10. I mean very slim. Now it's pretty much impossible.

At #11 we could still take our PG in Acie Law.

Adding two experienced players who bring intangibles to the table with their passion for the game, and that would really light a fire under this team.

Wouldn't be too shabby a basketball team either.

Wow, that's a really young starting 5.....I sure wouldn't mind seeing a seasoned vet in there somewhere.

Acie Law

Joe Johnson

Marvin Williams

Josh Smith

Joakim Noah

Athletic enough to run, stout enough defensively to play in the halfcourt

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[AtLaS]

In that case, take Conley at #3 and trade up a few spots to get Noah if that's what BK wants to do. It shouldn't take much.

[BusBoyIsBack]

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In that case, take Conley at #3 and trade up a few spots to get Noah if that's what BK wants to do. It shouldn't take much.

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But we'd probably have to give up Marvin or something.

I don't think we should trade Marvin before his year where he could blossom.

I think people are afraid of taking a PG other than Conley.

[Dukegotgame]

cmon man, just earlier today you were convinced brandon wright was the second coming of jesus himself

[BusBoyIsBack]

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cmon man, just earlier today you were convinced brandon wright was the second coming of jesus himself

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I never said he should have even been our #1 option. I was saying that maybe it wouldn't be so bad if we picked the guy because he was a post player who has tremendous upside. Upside that some apparently don't agree on.

But I agree he's a little undersized in the mass department.

As you can see I admit I don't know much about Wright which is why I have flip flopped my opinion on the guy in the last two days left and right.

WHole point is that I damn sure know a whole lot about Joakim Noah since I've seen the guy his whole career.

And he is unquestionably a great post defender. Unless Yi has some D up his sleeve, Noah's the only 7 footer that's an interior defender besides Oden.

So instead of pithy little comments about my previous speculations, (because that's all we can really do is speculate in the most inexact science in sports) how about making some sort of real contribution like a rebuttal?

What do you see about Noah that tells you he can't succeed?

[exodus]

Noah blows. He is just a weaker version of Varejo, who is a bench player. Noah isn't even remotely big enough to play center and isn't much better than Solomon. Picking Noah would be absolutely the dumbest think BK could do.

[Sothron]

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Noah blows. He is just a weaker version of Varejo, who is a bench player. Noah isn't even remotely big enough to play center and isn't much better than Solomon. Picking Noah would be absolutely the dumbest think BK could do.

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Agree times one thousand times one thousand. Noah will be a disaster as a NBA player. I have never seen anyone get his hype with zero offensive game whatsoever.

[Yeti]

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Noah blows. He is just a weaker version of Varejo, who is a bench player. Noah isn't even remotely big enough to play center and isn't much better than Solomon. Picking Noah would be absolutely the dumbest think BK could do.

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Agree times one thousand times one thousand. Noah will be a disaster as a NBA player. I have never seen anyone get his hype with zero offensive game whatsoever.

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Agreed. I'd vote no as well.

[TroyMcClure]

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Noah blows. He is just a weaker version of Varejo, who is a bench player. Noah isn't even remotely big enough to play center and isn't much better than Solomon. Picking Noah would be absolutely the dumbest think BK could do.

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Agree times one thousand times one thousand. Noah will be a disaster as a NBA player. I have never seen anyone get his hype with zero offensive game whatsoever.

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Agreed. I'd vote no as well.

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I'm going to fourth this. Noah sucks as hard as any "top prospect" that I have ever seen. Makes you wonder what these people are thinking. Makes me wonder if they ever picked up a basketball, Ex. Just kidding. I'm in total agreement with you on this. The weaker Varejo comp is dead on.

[Nicholasp27]

i wouldn't be upset with noah

i really wanted him to declare and take him last year

he has heart and fire

he can defend

we need a defensive center...jj/smoove/marvin/law/chill/slim/lue can get points for us...adding law/noah would add some good fire to this team

noah would get the junk baskets zaza gets but he'd be a big defensive upgrade

[deester11]

I'm going to fifth this.....as in I'll need a fifth of Vodka if we draft Noah. He is not even an impressive player at all.

[TheDude]

some of you must not have watched any Florida games..first of all he's not that skinny

[image]http://draftexpress.com/headshots/joakimnoah.jpg[/image]

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he's not anthony mason by any stretch of the imagination but he's not solomon jones skinny. he is an excellent passer and has great basketball I.Q.. He's tough and fired up most of the time. The ONLY thing people need to be worried about is his shot(although given that is important). And I'm pretty sure we've all been saying we needed a center with size who can play defense and is athletic and can score in the post. nbadraft.net is calling him Tyson Chandler with a better basketball I.Q., to which I agree.

3rd pick? hell no. but if we can trade up a few spots from #11, then he would be a great pickup for us.

[atlien110]

noah blows...

[exodus]

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he's not anthony mason by any stretch of the imagination but he's not solomon jones skinny.

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Yes he is. Jones weighed 224 at the combine which is exactly what Noah weighs now. Noah will get pushed around just like Jones does. And basketball IQ is not that important for a center who isn't going to handle the ball that much.

Jones is a much better shooter than Noah.

Jones was fine as a second round pick but picking him at 11 would have been a joke.

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nbadraft.net is calling him Tyson Chandler with a better basketball I.Q., to which I agree.

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Chandlers shoulders are about twice as wide as Noahs.

[BusBoyIsBack]

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Agree times one thousand times one thousand. Noah will be a disaster as a NBA player. I have never seen anyone get his hype with zero offensive game whatsoever.

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Yeah I guess Tyrus Thomas was a terrible pick as well seeing that he had no offense.

Oh but wait, he was picked in the top 5 last year.

Ironically the same draft Noah would have been #1.

Lmao at the ridiculous claim that he's not better than Solomon. Are you kidding me?

I love Solomon and I think he has tremendous upside but come on.

Solomon would have maybe been in consideration for a 1st round pick if he was in any other school in that conference but the #1 overall pick?

Solomon Jones is VERY, VERY raw.

People's views of Noah as a NBA prospect because they just hate him as a person.

How you can hate a player that passionate about the game is beyond me.

Sure as hell is a lot better than people like Thomas who admit they play for the money.