Joakim Noah

Joakim Simon Noah (born February 25, 1985) is a French-American  professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls. He played collegiate basketball for the University of Florida in the SEC of the NCAA from 2004-2007.

Noah was a member of the Gators' teams that won the 2006 and 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournaments. On June 28, 2007, Noah was taken 9th overall in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls.

Noah was born in New York City, United States of French, Swedish, and Cameroonian descent. He was born February 25, 1985 to singer and former tennis player Yannick Noah, and Cécilia Rhode, Miss Sweden 1978. In addition, his paternal grandfather Zacharie Noah was a Cameroonian professional football player, winner of the Coupe de France in 1961.

Noah calls himself "the African Viking." He competed on basketball teams for several high schools, first at the United Nations International School (UNIS) in New York City. At UNIS he was coached by Alsonso Shockley, Harry Muniz and David Gartrelle. He reached the championships as the only sophomore on the team. He also played in streetball tournaments and his nickname was "The Noble One" because someone heard that his dad was a pro tennis player. He later transferred to Poly Prep in Brooklyn, New York, where he was coached by Bill McNally, and then to The Lawrenceville School, outside of Princeton, New Jersey.

The Chicago Bulls selected Noah as the ninth overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. Noah and his teammates at Florida, Corey Brewer and Al Horford, became the highest picked trio from the same college in the history of the NBA. Horford was chosen third overall by the Atlanta Hawks, and Brewer was chosen seventh overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

On November 6, 2007, he made his regular season debut off the bench after missing the first three games with a sprained ankle. He posted 2 points and 4 rebounds. Noah is currently the Bulls starting center, and averaged 6.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game during the 2008-09 regular season.

Noah played a key role in game 6 of the 2009 Eastern Conference first round playoff series between the Bulls and the Boston Celtics. In the final minute of the game's third overtime period, with the score tied at 123-123, he stole the ball from Paul Pierce and ran down the court for a dunk, drawing a foul from Pierce in the process. The Bulls went on to win the game 128-127, though they would lose the series in Game 7.

During that game, Noah grabbed Rajon Rondo out of midair and threw him to the ground. Despite the fact that excessive force is not allowing in the NBA, no flagrant foul was called.