Donovan reaches out to Noah

GAINESVILLE – Florida coach Billy Donovan said he is trying to reach out to his former star, Joakim Noah, after Noah was suspended for two games at the suggestion of his Chicago Bulls teammates.

Noah was suspended by interim coach Jim Boylan last Friday after Noah reportedly got into a confrontation with assistant coach Ron Adams during a morning shoot-around. His teammates voted unanimously to suspend him a second game for other issues he’s had all season long.

“I left a message for him yesterday and I sent him a text message,'' Donovan said. "I'm trying to actually catch up with him. I hope he's doing okay. I don't know all what's behind the fact he's been suspended two games, but I just called him as a friend and someone who coached him and tried to reach out to him.’’

Noah has reportedly been late to team functions and violated rules designated by Chicago’s veterans. Donovan said he spoke with Noah extensively before he left Gainesville about the rigors of being a professional and the extreme differences between college and the professional ranks.

"It's so different in the NBA,'' Donovan said. "You know if you're late, you get fined. If you don't do what you're supposed to be doing, if you're not dressed properly, you get fined. There's a level that you have to have, and sometimes you don't have the same cohesiveness and bond (as college). Some of these guys have got wives and they've got kids and there's maybe not that hanging out in the locker room kind of thing. So I think this is all new for Jo. But I think Jo's frustration is nothing more pure than he wants to win. I don't think he's upset because he's not getting shots, I think he just wants to win. And I think if there's one thing I always admired about Jo is no one dislikes losing any more than he does of anybody I've ever coached. But for me to pass judgment on what's going on there, I don't know. I just know that probably a lot of it, just knowing Jo's personality stems from him wanting to win and maybe coming out and saying some things that didn't sit well with the team and coaching staff and he got suspended those two games.''

Comments

Reading between the lines, Billy seems to be saying that being late and not doing what you're told to do are somewhat tolerated by him. I'm not implying that he doesn't have control, but he seems to understand and tolerate Joakim's lack of disclipine, which means it was there when he was in school.

Gotta admit, this surprises me.

Noah is very passionate about the game and just wants to play and win. It has to be difficult and frustrating to go from playing for one of the best coaches in country and a 2-time National Champion team to a losing organization and with a horrible coaching staff like the Bulls. Just look at the standings, his teammates don’t seem to care if they win or not as long as they draw the big NBA paychecks

Jay Mariotti has a good article on the Bulls situation in today's (1/16) Chicago Sun Times.

Regarding the loss to Orlando, in which Noah had a double-double while Ben Wallace was sitting on the Bulls bench laughing and enjoying the Bulls 20 point deficit, Mariotti Writes : "At least Noah, who returned to produce 12 points and a career-high 11 rebounds, cares about winning. Reportedly, Noah and Wallace had a post-game flareup and were separated. Seems Noah was as irked as I was about the apathy of some veterans -- the same mopes who had gone to Boylan and urged him to extend the rookie's one-game suspension to two games for the Adams episode. Shame on Boylan and general manager John Paxson for allowing those veterans any latitude to make disciplinary decisions when some are guilty of far worse sins than Noah."

Noah is a cry baby... always has been... always will. The bulls should have known better than to blow a draft pick on this loser!