Joakim Noah on Frances Tiafoe, bridging the NBA-tennis hole and the current rise of French basketball

Former NBA star Joakim Noah is uniquely positioned to debate the connections between tennis and basketball.

Noah, a two-time collegiate males’s basketball nationwide champion on the College of Florida, grew up in New York. His father, Yannick Noah, was a widely-known tennis star in France and reached career-high singles rating of No. 3 on the earth.

YANNICK NOAH: Watch Joakim Noah’s dad ignore a sideline interview to give his son a standing ovation

After his March Insanity titles, Noah loved a protracted and profitable profession as an expert basketball participant. He was a two-time NBA All-Star and even gained the NBA’s Defensive Participant of the Yr in 2014.

Though he didn’t comply with in his father’s footsteps to play tennis, he nonetheless follows the game and not too long ago attended the US Open in his hometown of New York Metropolis.

The previous basketball star, who is widely known for his intensity and being unafraid to clash with LeBron James, caught up with For The Win from the Emirates Suite throughout their NBA evening on the 2024 US Open.

He mentioned his ideas on tennis star Frances Tiafoe (who wore Noah’s jersey earlier than a match earlier this yr), the current rise of basketball in France (the place he represented the nationwide workforce), and extra.

This interview has been condensed and edited for readability.

Do you suppose Frances Tiafoe is making a bridge between basketball and tennis?

Joakim Noah: Yeah! He has an interior metropolis vitality about him and it resonates so much with the hoopers. Quite a lot of the tennis gamers don’t know an excessive amount of about basketball and he’s positively a bridge. He has a fantastic character. I really like the best way he carries himself on the market and he’s someone that plenty of the hoopers can relate to.

What drew you to basketball over tennis given your loved ones background?

Joakim Noah: My father was a larger-than-life character in France. It made me draw back from the sport due to folks’s expectation towards me when it got here to tennis. I felt actually secure taking part in basketball. I cherished the workforce side. I cherished with the ability to have associates and be capable to do my very own factor.

To what do you credit score the current rise of basketball in France?

Joakim Noah: Being retired from the sport, I’ve extra time and perspective to journey. I additionally grew up within the French grassroots system. I perceive the distinction between the AAU circuit out right here in America in comparison with over there. The fact is that the competitors is getting tighter. There may be not this dominance that USA as soon as had. I actually imagine that the rationale why, particularly in watching [the men’s Olympics gold medal] recreation, is that the grassroots system is totally completely different over there. That’s the reason you might be seeing all of those younger abilities coming in by the draft. You’re seeing Wemby, who is clearly the following face of the league. However they’re additionally doing one thing on a day-to-day foundation: Skilled groups have an 18-and-under and a 16-and-under [program]. Even at 12 years previous on a Saturday, you’ll be able to go see the professional workforce play or the 14 yr olds play in the identical gymnasium proper after your recreation. The very fact you’ll be able to see what that subsequent stage seems to be like and looks like is nice for the youthful gamers.

Describe your emotions watching LeBron versus Wemby within the Olympics ultimate.

Joakim Noah: I believe it was an unbelievable recreation. Clearly, watching Stephen Curry and LeBron James play on the identical court docket in any case these nice moments they gave us was actually highly effective. Especially the way that Steph ended the game, you simply noticed greatness in full show. I felt like France actually performed their hearts out they usually had a workforce that French folks will be actually happy with. Once you’re taking part in in massive video games like that, all it does is encourage the following era and I believe basketball is in a very good place.

What are your impressions of the Emirates NBA Cup and the In-Season Event?

Joakim Noah: The NBA In-Season Event is one thing that’s actually wanted for the NBA as a result of the basketball calendar is a marathon. So with the ability to incentivise the blokes to play exhausting in November and play for the blokes who possibly don’t make as a lot cash because the star gamers simply makes everyone play tougher. I actually respect the Emirates NBA Cup as a result of it brings the competitors that all of us love watching.