Noah Highlights First Of Two Saturday Workouts
June 9, 2007
Charlotte's preparation for the 2007 NBA Draft continued Saturday at the Presbyterian Hospital Training Center at Charlotte Bobcats Arena with Florida's Joakim Noah, Alabama's Jamareo Davidsonand Nevada's Nick Fazekas all taking part in predraft workouts with the Bobcats.
Noah, an early entry candidate for the 2007 NBA Draft, is projected to be a lottery pick in numerous mock drafts around the web, and has been slated to be going to the Bobcats at No. 8 in five of the 15 mock drafts we are currently breaking down on bobcatsbasketball.com. The 6-11, 232-pound forward was a key piece of Florida’s back-to-back NCAA Championship teams in 2005-06 and 2006-07, averaging 13.1 points and 7.8 rebounds in 79 games. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2006 NCAA Tournament Final Four and earned consensus Second Team All-America honors as a junior in 2006-07, while also being named First Team All-SEC in his sophomore and junior season. He finished his career, ranked 34th on the Gators all-time scoring list with 1,124 points and ranks second all-time in field goal percentage (.612) and blocked shots (186).
Fazekas was named a consensus Second Team All-American following an outstanding senior year at Nevada in which he led the WAC and ranked fifth nationally in rebounding (11.1 rebounds) and also ranked second in the conference in scoring (20.4 points), field goal percentage (.568) and free throw percentage (.848). The 6-11, 235-pound forward finished his career as the Wolfpack’s all-time leading scorer (2,464 points) and shot-blocker (144) and is second all-time in rebounding (1,254). He is one of only six players in NCAA history to score 2,000 points, grab 1,000 rebounds, shoot 50 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line, joining Rick Barry, Larry Bird, Bill Bradley, Christian Laettner and Keith Van Horn.
Davidson was named to the All-Southeastern Conference Second Team in 2006-07 by the coaches and Honorable Mention All-SEC by the Associated Press after finishing first on Alabama in blocked shots (70) and second in scoring (14.0 points) and rebounding (8.2). The 6-10, 230-pound forward averaged 10.2 points and 7.3 rebounds in his four-year career with the Crimson Tide, while starting in 121 of 126 contests.
Bobcats Head Coach Sam Vincent and Noah spoke with the media after the workouts, as well as assistant coach Phil Ford on his new position:
BOBCATS HEAD COACH SAM VINCENT
(Did you have a favorite at the workouts today?)
Umm… Yea, I mean there was a guy, there was one guy – I won’t say who he was (laughter). I told you yesterday, and I kind of thought about it, and we’re trying to keep this process to ourselves in terms of who we like and who we think… different categories for what we’re looking for. So we’re going to kind of withhold that until we get a little bit further down the road. But I thought the guys worked hard, did some real good stuff – and it was important to see some big guys do that. That’s what we’re kind of looking for.
(As far as Noah, how did he impress you?)
Noah, he did what we know he can do. He’s a hard working guy. He knows the game, he’s a hustle guy. He’s very fundamentally sound – catches the ball and passes the ball – he does all of those things well. But what we want to see is his offensive skills. We want to see him in the post scoring. We want to see his shot from that mid-range area. And that’s what we were trying to get a feel for today.
(Do the mechanics of his shot worry you?)
The mechanics on his shot probably need a little adjusting. And I’m sure that’s something the kid is working on. I’m sure he’s got all kinds of people telling him that’s something that needs to improve, because that’s something going to help him in his draft – if he can be the guy that can knock down that 14- or 15-foot shot. But for today’s workout, you know it’s something that he’s been struggling with a little bit, and that’s an area where I think he has to still improve.
(Do you take into account the fact that since this is a “one-and-done shot” that the guys might be a little nervous?)
Absolutely. These workouts are a chance for us to see their size, their speed, their explosion, what kind of agility they have and their mechanics – their shot mechanics. But by no means do we look at this workout as something that is any real determination on whether or not the kid can play. We know there’s some nerves; we know this is the first time some of them are going to a professional-type workout. So we take all of that into consideration. And all the guys do well mainly because they come in and work hard.
(Does that make it hard to evaluate at these individual workouts?)
Well, there are specific things that we do want to see. We can watch his shot mechanics and he may be 0-5 but we can tell the way he shoots, his location, the follow-through – we can get a feel for what your percentage is going to be in different situations. So there’s certain things that we can gauge, even though you may have not played exceptionally well. We can still get a feel for what you can and can’t do by how you move on the floor.
(The Bobcats have a knack for bringing in guys that are national champions and proven winners; obviously Noah is another one of those guys. How much is that going to factor into what you’re looking for?)
That’s not going to factor into what I’m looking at. I’m specifically looking for guys that can plug into what I think are weaknesses on this team. And if the guy won a national championship – great for your college career. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to help us in what we’re trying to do. So we’ve got a couple of areas that we are specifically looking at, and we want to see how guys can fit into those specific needs. We’re not thinking anything about their collegiate past, other than what kind of career you’ve had during that time.
(What do you see as those weaknesses on this team?)
Right now, I think need another guy that can score on the inside. I’d like to have a real strong, low-post presence…somebody that we can drop the ball in and he can either force double-teams or make teams get into rotations. But someone that can score on the inside because that’s going to free up guys like Adam Morrison, Walter Herrmann and Matt Carroll that can take those shots on the outside. We’re also kind of looking at our point guard play. We feel like that guys that we have coming back – Raymond (Felton), (Jeff) McInnis, there’s some decisions on Brevin (Knight) – are solid players, but that’s an area if something happens, we need to be assured on the back court as well. So those are kind of the key areas we’re looking at right now. I think we’re solid in our 2’s and our 3’s.
JOAKIM NOAH • 6-11 • 232 LBS. • FORWARD • FLORIDA • JUNIOR
(How did things go at the workout?)
I think they went alright. Worked hard and that’s what counts – these back-to-back workouts are no joke. But I feel like I gave it 150%, and it’s just exciting to be able to go from city to city and see what the coaches’ suggestions are and see what they have to say. It’s just an exciting time, and you can’t take anything for granted. Even though it’s hard, what an experience. And hopefully one of these teams like me. Hopefully it’s the Charlotte Bobcats.
(Who else have you worked out for so far?)
Minnesota and Chicago. You just have get used to the traveling and all those kinds of things.
(You said “Hopefully the Charlotte Bobcats.” How much do you know about this team, and how do you feel you would fit in on a squad like this?)
I know they’re a team that wants to go up and down. And I know it’s a great organization. Right now, I know as a player, you can’t control where you’re going to go. The only thing that you can control is how hard you compete in these workouts. I feel like I’m in a situation right now where you can’t really hope too much because you don’t know what’s going to happen. And like I said, you can’t control where you go. The only thing you can control is how hard you play.
(What are you trying to showcase during these workouts? What are you hoping that the teams come away with when it comes to Joakim Noah?)
You only have like an hour and a half to showcase yourself. They’ve seen a lot of college games and stuff, so I want them to see that I’m somebody that’s very serious about basketball, somebody that really wants to win, and somebody that has really strong, good work ethic – somebody who works hard every day, day-in and day-out. Even yesterday, I worked out with the Chicago Bulls and didn’t get in last night until pretty late. Didn’t get to the hotel until pretty late and then just coming here – they know that but being able to come out here and just give it all you’ve got. I just wanted to show them that I’m somebody who takes basketball very seriously and not somebody who’s just all about going out and partying and doing all kings of things like that. That’s not me. I’m somebody who takes basketball very seriously.
(You must have had an idea of what this was going to be. Has this turned out to be what you thought or has it been completely different?)
Actually, during the season we tried not to think about the NBA at all. Talking about the NBA was kind of taboo, actually, just because we were so focused on our task at hand and trying to repeat as national champions. I’m just trying not to think anything for granted, and everybody’s worried about draft and stock and where they’re going to go. I mean that’s understandable, but at the same time, what an opportunity to just be able to visit all these different cities and meet so many different guys who have been in the situation before. This is like a dream come true for all of us – to be in a situation to play in the NBA is special, and I think we shouldn’t forget that as players.
(So you’re absolutely enjoying this process, you’re having a ball?)
I’m enjoying it. I’m loving it. It’s very different than I’m used to. But it’s cool, man. This is dream come true. And it’s hard; nobody said it was going to be easy. It’s not easy at all. What a great feeling to be able to say that, hopefully, I’ll be able to play basketball as my profession. That’s kind of cool, to pay for your own hamburgers playing basketball. That’s pretty cool (laughter).
(In nine mock drafts, five have you coming here. What are your thoughts on that?)
I think mock drafts are a complete joke. I mean, who makes the mock drafts? I have no idea who makes them. I heard a couple of guys who make the mock drafts are like kids in basements and stuff like that (laughter). I’m serious, that’s what somebody told me. And I think it’s true, too, because I mean you read what these guys say and they have no idea what they’re talking about. So I think, to me, it’s all the situation of what a team needs, and I’d rather listen to a general manager and the people who are going to get the pick than a mock draft. I think a mock draft doesn’t mean anything. And like I said, you can’t control who likes who and what the opinion is of the “mock draft” – I mean, who cares. The people from Draft Express, who are a mock draft site, they’re from Florida, so they always rank me pretty high – you know what I’m saying (laughter)? To me, that’s how it works. I mean, if they like you, they like you. If they don’t, they don’t. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t mean anything. They’re not the ones picking you. I’m not really worried about a mock draft.
(But can you speak on the possibility that this may be the team that takes you)
You shouldn’t ask me, you should ask Mike, you know what I’m saying? (laughter) Mr. Jordan, you know, Michael Jordan would probably know best. I have no idea. Like I said, those aren’t things that I can control. I feel like right now, the only thing I can control is when I step between these lines, you know soak the jersey. You guys see it right? I got proof. I went hard today.
(Has your jumpshot improved?)
I think it’s improved. I’m actually really tired. I don’t think I shot the ball particularly well today. I feel like I’m more and more confident in taking it and I’m going to keep shooting it and keep working on it.
(You said, in response to the mock draft, you’d rather know that teams needs are. Do you feel you fit what this team needs going into the draft?)
I feel like I’m somebody who’s going to bring energy every night, somebody who really cares about winning – really, really cares about winning. Winning is everything to me. I’m somebody who is pretty versatile and runs for days. So I feel like that’s what I bring, and if they like it then I’d love to come here. But I feel like they would know better than I would.
(Where do you go tomorrow?)
Tomorrow I go to Boston.
BOBCATS ASSISTANT COACH PHIL FORD
(On being part of the coaching staff)
I feel this is a great situation. I think Coach (Bernie) Bickerstaff and his staff did a great job with the team, and hopefully, we can keep it going. Sam (Vincent) and I have known each other for quite some time. Obviously, Michael (Jordan) and I have known each other for quite some time. I’m not sure how this situation materialized, but I’m glad it did. Like I said before, I’m really happy to be here and I can’t wait to get started. Sam and I have a lot of the same philosophies. He’s a Michigan State guy and I’m a Carolina guy. We both played for very fundamentally sound coaches (Dean Smith-North Carolina, Jud Heathcote-Michigan State) that think fundamentals are very important in the game of basketball. We are going to really emphasize fundamentals and try to continue the good job that Coach Bickerstaff and his staff displayed.
(On his fellow assistant coaches)
We’ve all known each other for quite some time. I’ve known Coach (Lee) Rose for quite some time. As a matter of fact, I was playing basketball at Carolina when he was the coach at UNC-Charlotte during the Final Four in 1977. He was coaching Cedric Maxwell and Melvin Watkins during that time as well. Of course, Jeff (Capel) and I go back forever- even before his son (Jason Capel) played basketball at Carolina. I’ve known Dell (Curry) for quite some time. It’s a good staff and really a dream come true to be here. I’m ready to get started.
(On his departure from New York)
I really enjoyed my time with the New York Knicks. It’s a great organization and I had a lot of fun working with the staff. I made great friends in New York, so anytime you move and go to the unknown, there are naturally some question marks. But the positives outweigh the negatives by far with this being an ideal situation for me.
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