Joakim Noah Talks NBA Africa, Community Initiatives in Chicago and Fatherhood
Standing atop Powder Mountain in Utah on a Tuesday afternoon in mid-March, Joakim Noah calls our scheduled Zoom interview while on a family vacation with his kids over spring break. You can see the ski goggles sitting on his forehead, as he adjusts the phone in front of him while the sun shines in the background. He will be with his camera for a while before he chooses to go off camera, as he finds himself on the road. He is so kind that he happily stops his family vacation for a few minutes just to check in with us, as we were rushing to send our latest issue to the printers.
Even when he turns off his camera, despite being on vacation, you can hear the love in Noah's voice when he starts talking excitedly about the different community projects he's currently working on, whether in Chicago or Africa. It's been many years since he's been on an NBA court, but the former NBA All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year's enthusiasm has always been palpable.
SLAM: Are there any new interests or hobbies you've picked up in retirement that you may not have picked up while playing, or didn't have time to devote to while in the NBA?
Joakim Noah: Well, I'm not going to lie to you, I'm on top of the mountain right now looking at the—I'm on the ski slope right now. I just did three hours of skiing with my kids. My niece just arrived for the first time from Maui. He sees snow for the first time. When you play basketball in the NBA, you are not allowed to do things like this [skiing]. You don't want to put yourself at risk of injury. So, I've been picking up skiing, that's good. And just being able to go and take your time and not rush to get back to playing. It is a different type of training. [Now] you train yourself for life. Training for life and training for competitions are two completely different things. I think my nervous system appreciates that.
SLAM: Where is your skiing skill level?
JN: Skill level, I'd say I'm not comfortable going down heavy stuff. I don't go down dark circles. Or even blue slopes. I am very comfortable living in the green. You know, that's seven feet, 260 pounds going downhill. That's a different animal.
SLAM: What new business ventures have you been getting into?
JN: Being able to be an investor in the NBA Africa league, BAL, has been a real blessing, because I have been able to travel around the continent and really learn from the best in the business. [President of the Basketball Africa League] Amadou Gallo Fall and [NBA Deputy Commissioner] Mark Tatum. You know, you're taking a leadership role in NBA Africa, and you're just getting started on the continent, and watching this league flourish. We have just returned from South Africa. It was packed, it was a different energy. And we're just getting started on something that I'm really excited about.
SLAM: What is your ultimate goal with BAL? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
JN: My biggest goal is when you see African kids, like, doing tween-tween hesi, then you know we did something right. You haven't really seen African kids doing hesi-hesi yet, and that's coming!
SLAM: It feels like there is a lot of untapped basketball potential in Africa, and a business model structure for the league to thrive.
JN: There is definitely a structure to the business model. But the continent is 54 different countries and the fastest growing youth in the world. So, the numbers add up. But also understanding that when you play in the systems in America, you get to play in a great gym, you have your high school rival, you have your little girlfriend to watch you play, mom and dad come to watch you play. Like, these are all the things that places around the world don't have. So, the problem with Africa is the lack of—this is not a game that is part of African culture. So, it really starts at the beginning. And understanding that the issues are the lack of infrastructure and the lack of basketball education, even when it comes to referees, when it comes to training.
Many people put in the time and travel and teach, [running] basketball and training clinics, referee clinics. Just seeing how far growth has come in the last five years is amazing, but we still have a lot of work to do.
SLAM: How did you end up connecting with BAL?
JN: I think, for me, it was having a relationship with the president of BAL, Amadou Gallo Fall, who was my dear friend throughout my career. Although he was a scout for the Dallas Mavericks, [and] I never played with the Mavericks, [he] it was someone I was always in touch with. And I think that's something I see now that I'm done playing. You realize that when basketball is over, all you have left are your relationships and your memories. So, I think that's important sometimes [remember], there is a lot of money involved, and it is very easy to get caught up in the business. Just make sure you go out on your terms, and that you make strong, solid relationships and strong bonds.
SLAM: Are there any non-basketball things that you already want to get on people's radars?
JN: I think most of the work I do right now is for basketball. Another effort I'm very excited about is the One City Basketball League we created in Chicago. We work with 28 violence prevention teams across the city and we have at-risk youth playing basketball on their own, we get government funding and we're able to build a basketball league that's much bigger than basketball. We have financial literacy courses, career education, job training, and all of this. Things are moving fast. I am very happy with the progress of our One City Basketball League. We do special things. We really hope that we will be able to expand it to other cities, and I hope that other guys in the Association will be inspired and want to do things in their places. I feel that the future of this league could be a national program. I think that is very important in our communities in America.
SLAM: You talked about fatherhood earlier. How has your father changed as a person after retirement? How is father Joakim Noah these days and what have you learned from your children?
JN: It teaches me that it's not about me, especially when the kids are around you. When you play, sometimes you feel like it's all about you, and the lights are shining on you. But my kids, I can watch my favorite show on TV, and they will turn it off [and] put on Moana. They don't care.
SLAM: What do you think about the current state of basketball? What are some trends or things you like about gaming today? And what are some of the things you feel could be improved upon?
JN: Well, I think the game is very talented. I think from 15 to 15, even the guys who are new to the game, they are very good at basketball. I think, obviously, spaces are different. Many people put emphasis [saying that] no defense and stuff like that, but I don't think it's the players fault. I think it's just the way the game is repeated, the way the game is, it's completely different. They don't let you interact with boys. The game is very soft because that's what the game is called. It's just a little physical. And I think it puts a lot of pressure on the defense when you can't use your hands, these are all things that were part of the game even 10 years ago that they don't let guys do anymore. So, I don't think it's a question of guys not wanting to play defense. I think it's just the way it's handled.
SLAM: Is there one thing you haven't had the chance to do or try, or maybe you just were
Are you worried, during your playing days that you look back now and regret not doing it?
JN: I think my mind will say that I wish I could have improved the three points. I think that would really help. But, you know, at that time, I was a big guy—you put up screens and you roll, and that was my role. He was played just like that. And what I tell the young guys all the time is, it's about being effective and trying to influence to win. And if your attitude is trying to score points, I think that takes away from the main goal, which is to win the football game. I don't really talk about X's and Os too much, I don't talk about strategy, because that wasn't my strength. My strengths were always available as much as possible to my teammates and being a good teammate, and doing whatever it took to help win the game of basketball.
Photo via Getty Images.
