UFreak
May 4th, 2006, 09:24 AM
Noah hunting for Good Will :
In his few days back in the city, Joakim Noah has a new respect for the place. A month after winning the NCAA title with Florida and being named the Final Four's MVP, Noah has become something akin to a rock star in Gainesville.
"It's great. People want to tell how they watched you and they thank you, but it's like being "UFREAK" or something," said Noah, son of tennis great Yannick Noah and Swedish model Cecilia Rodhe. "I guess it's like my dad, kind of, but he has a whole country like that.
"New York is nice, though," Noah added. "People give you your space. They notice you, but it's not such a big thing."
Noah returned to Queens yesterday, where he spent the summers of his teenage years with basketball coach Tyrone Green. While his family was summering in France, Noah worked with Green, who is the basketball instructor for the Beacon program, an after-school program run by Good Will Industries.
"I want the kids to know it's important to give back," said Noah. "I am on cloud nine. It's been great, unbelievable and I want to share that with them."
Noah spoke to about 75 kids who are enrolled or are joining the program about the importance of hard work. He talked about going from a little-used substitute his freshman year to the Final Four MVP in his sophomore season.
Then he spent an hour answering questions. The first and foremost one was:
"Why don't you want to go to the NBA and make all that money?"
Noah laughed.
"I know I am not ready - yet," he said. "I know that I am not physically ready. The NBA wants me, believe me. They have told me that and that they are ready to pay me millions of dollars, but I am not ready to go."
Noah also painted an appealing picture of his life in Gainesville.
"I am in my shorts and flip flops, I go to class, I have a beautiful girlfriend, great friends," Noah said. "The NBA will be there, but what's so bad about college?"
In his few days back in the city, Joakim Noah has a new respect for the place. A month after winning the NCAA title with Florida and being named the Final Four's MVP, Noah has become something akin to a rock star in Gainesville.
"It's great. People want to tell how they watched you and they thank you, but it's like being "UFREAK" or something," said Noah, son of tennis great Yannick Noah and Swedish model Cecilia Rodhe. "I guess it's like my dad, kind of, but he has a whole country like that.
"New York is nice, though," Noah added. "People give you your space. They notice you, but it's not such a big thing."
Noah returned to Queens yesterday, where he spent the summers of his teenage years with basketball coach Tyrone Green. While his family was summering in France, Noah worked with Green, who is the basketball instructor for the Beacon program, an after-school program run by Good Will Industries.
"I want the kids to know it's important to give back," said Noah. "I am on cloud nine. It's been great, unbelievable and I want to share that with them."
Noah spoke to about 75 kids who are enrolled or are joining the program about the importance of hard work. He talked about going from a little-used substitute his freshman year to the Final Four MVP in his sophomore season.
Then he spent an hour answering questions. The first and foremost one was:
"Why don't you want to go to the NBA and make all that money?"
Noah laughed.
"I know I am not ready - yet," he said. "I know that I am not physically ready. The NBA wants me, believe me. They have told me that and that they are ready to pay me millions of dollars, but I am not ready to go."
Noah also painted an appealing picture of his life in Gainesville.
"I am in my shorts and flip flops, I go to class, I have a beautiful girlfriend, great friends," Noah said. "The NBA will be there, but what's so bad about college?"