Joakim Noah’s Training Camp DebutOne of the prized offseason acquisitions for the Knicks was big man Joakim Noah. The veteran center is expected to provide a major impact on the floor and play the role of vocal leader in the practice gym. On Wednesday morning, Noah made his debut at training camp following a brief absence due to the birth of his daughter. Noah outlined some of the objectives for the team while working out at West Point.
“It’s a good vibe,” Noah stated. “Vibe has been good, you know even before camp. This is my first day, the energy is great, and I think that is really important to have good camaraderie and right now we are just building our foundation.”
Carmelo Anthony explained the intensity Noah brings to the orange and blue: “He’s going to bring it. If you’re not on his team, you’re an enemy. I think that mentality, that’s going to kind of trickle down to everybody else. “
Anthony added, “He pushes you to go out there and compete every play, every time. If not, you’re going to hear about it. I think that’s something we’ve been missing, this team needed, this organization needed and I like it. We like it.”
Derrick Rose ImpressesHead coach Jeff Hornacek told reporters that Rose “showed a couple of bursts” while participating in the Wednesday morning scrimmage. This was evident by a possession where Rose put the ball behind his back, drove to the lane, faked a pass to the perimeter, and dropped a floater in the lane. The explosiveness is impressive in person and while he’s easing back into game action, Rose remains an elite athlete.
"I think he's getting he's legs back. Just watching him last year when we played them, it didn't look like he was as explosive as maybe he is now," Hornacek confirmed.
News and NotesThe team will practice on Wednesday night and return to the gym on Thursday for another two-a-day session. No major injuries report.