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The career of a longtime NBA veteran appears to be over.
The Los Angeles Clippers are giving up Joakim Noah, 35, which likely means the end of the great man’s career, his agent, Bill Duffy, told ESPN on Tuesday night.
Noah, who played 13 seasons in the NBA, is best known for his first nine years with the Chicago Bulls in which he made his mark as a serious defenseman and competitor under coach Tom Thibodeau, now coach of the New Knicks. York.
Noah, the son of former French tennis champion Yannick Noah, also helped lead the Florida Gators to back-to-back domestic titles before the Bulls selected him with the ninth overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.
Two-time All-Star Noah also played two seasons with the Knicks and one season with the Memphis Grizzlies and Clippers. He’s averaged 8.8 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in his career.
“What an illustrious career for Joakim, who started with two national titles at the University of Florida, to become the NBA Defensive Player of the Year and ultimately become one of the most passionate and fiery players in our sport.” , Duffy said. ESPN. “I had the honor of representing Joakim throughout his career.”
Noah, who secured a four-year, $ 72 million contract with the Knicks in the summer of 2016, only lasted two years during his controversial stint in New York and has become one of the icons of the failure of the Phil Jackson era.
The 6-foot-11 center failed to live up to his big deal as he was plagued with injuries, suspended for a failed performance-enhancing drug test, distracted by problems off the field (some , he admits, on his own, like partying too much while injured) and at odds with former coach Jeff Hornacek.
“I think back to that time and I feel like we underperformed,” Noah said upon returning to Madison Square Garden as a member of the Grizzlies the following season. “And I don’t want to go back in time, but I think back to things that I could have done better and I take some responsibility.
“I am blamed. I didn’t do what I was capable of, although I had a lot of injuries, I had a lot of things off the court. It’s disappointing. It’s definitely something I have to live with.
Noah also recently said he believes Thibodeau will do well with the Knicks.
“Defense and practice habits,” the 35-year-old Clippers forward wrote in an Instagram post in July. “The Knicks are in good hands. All he cares about is the hoop. Perfect fit. “
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