During his NBA career, Joakim Noah was the quintessential fan favorite. He played 13 seasons with utmost zeal and passion, which naturally earned him tremendous praise from the paying customers. That was certainly the case during his nine years with the Chicago Bulls (2007-2016).
He became a two-time NBA All-Star (2013, 2014) and was the 2014 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. In the process, Noah teamed up with Derrick Rose, Taj Gibson and Kirk Hinrich to bring excitement back to the Windy City in the post-Michael Jordan era.
In 2011 and 2015, the Bulls made the playoffs. Noah and company led the Bulls to the best record in the East in 2011 with a 62–20 record and a berth in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Outside the court, Noah was the kindest person. He has his own Noah's Ark Foundation to host a "peace" basketball tournament to support Chicago youth and prevent the spread of gun violence. Those efforts earned him the NBA Community Assistance Award in 2015.
In his post-playing years, Noah has tried his best to keep basketball the focal point. On one hand, changing lives and on the other, learning about the world.
The latter of which has enabled him to launch the documentary YouTube series, nomad. Noah, in collaboration with NBAT2, organizes globetrots to explore different basketball cultures in places ranging from Serbia to Japan.
In an exclusive with ClutchPoints, Noah talks candidly about his findings from his travels, especially from the audience's perspective.
Joakim Noah fans celebrate freedom.
In American pro basketball, it is very common for fans to be ejected if they are too rowdy. And if they're sitting in court, they're especially at risk for possible removal.
However, in one episode, Noah visits Serbia. Of all the things that stood out to them, it was the reality that fans could just be. In other words, fans can do or say whatever they want without any repercussions.
"Even people sitting courtside are going crazy for their teams and letting the players hear it," Noah said.
"Fans are definitely free to say what they want. And you think about the NBA, especially right now, if you're a fan that's out of line even a little bit, you're being escorted off the field. That's not the case there."
Noah acknowledges the role fans play in making the sporting experience thrilling.
“You better bring it over,” Noah said. "And to me, I think that, I don't know, there was something really refreshing about it. That a fan is paying money, but he has the right to push the player and say whatever he wants. And I think there was something about that that I think was very refreshing."
Joakim Noah learned something about himself while living in Japan
During another venture into Japan, Noah was struck by the culture of respect and decency. In their basketball culture, altercations and arguments with officials are rare.
“Going to Japan and understanding their culture a little better and understanding why they have that level of respect for each other as a culture,” Noah said. "You see it in the culture. You never see Japanese players having technical fouls."
In the process, Noah reflected on his career and the intensity it displayed, and he was surprised by something.
"So for me, it was an example of looking at myself and saying, wow, if I had studied these cultures a little bit, maybe I would have had a lot less stress, who knows? So it's always a learning experience."
Calm, cool, collected, or gritty, fiery, or gladiator. The game of basketball is played in different ways around the world. They are all beautiful and connected to their existence.
And Joachim Noah is on the ground, telling those stories.
