NBA Chicago Bulls

Chicago Bulls Center Joakim Noah’s No. 13 May Be In The Rafters One Day

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By @AndrewPappas24

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Chicago is a passionate sports town. Die-hard fans “bleed” their teams’ colors in this city. Few other towns in America can rival the passion put into their teams. As one of those passionate fans, I would say there is no better feeling than seeing a player reciprocate that emotion when on their respective playing field or court.

The best example of that type of player in this town right now is Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah. Throughout the turbulence of the past few seasons, Noah has emerged as the leader of Chicago’s basketball team. Not the former MVP Derrick Rose, who has made life hell for Bulls fans for close to three years, but the former Florida Gator who leaves every ounce of energy and passion on the court each and every night.

Noah has averaged 9.9 points per game and 9.4 rebounds per game throughout his career. While solid numbers, they are far from outstanding. Noah’s effort, leadership and passion, however, are as extraordinary as it gets. Despite the constant Rose soap opera, the trading of his good friend Luol Deng, as well as a highly scrutinized battle between head coach Tom Thibodeau and the front office duo of John Paxson and Gar Forman, Noah has remained the same. Though his game has evolved to a caliber no one ever expected, his intensity and, simply put, pure awesomeness, have been unchanged since Day 1. He is a winner. He is the ultimate teammate.

Following the most recent Rose injury (a pulled hamstring on Nov. 13), Noah proved his leadership once again and backed his teammate. “Every time something happens to him, people act like it’s the end of the world. And that’s f—ing so lame to me. Relax,” Noah told reporters after the game. “I’m sorry for cursing, but I’m really passionate. I don’t like to see him down. And he doesn’t say that he’s down, but I don’t like it when, like, people portray him and judge him. ‘Cause it’s not fair to him. It’s not.”

Yes, Rose has certainly deserved much of the scrutiny he has faced in recent years, but the fact that Noah, who calls Rose his little brother, sticks up for him says something about the big man. They don’t make many guys like Noah anymore. In a sports age of free agency and constant scandals and controversies, a guy who has his teammates’ backs after three of the most tumultuous years in recent memory is a breath of fresh air.

Noah is the kind of guy that non-Bulls fans (even non-basketball fans) can enjoy and appreciate. If his career continues on this path, there will be talks of No. 13 joining the ranks of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen in the rafters at the United Center.

Andrew Pappas is a blogger at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @AndrewPappas24.

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