Joakim Noah Works Out For Bobcats
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Joakim Noah isn't putting much faith in the numerous NBA mock drafts, many of which have him going eighth overall to the Charlotte Bobcats.
"I think mock drafts are a complete joke," said Joakim Noah, one of six players to workout Saturday for the Bobcats. "I have no idea who makes them. ... I think to me it's all a situation of what a team needs. I'd rather listen to the general manager, the guy who makes the pick."
By all accounts the 6-foot-11, 232-pound Joakim Noah appears to be a good fit for the Bobcats, who have struggled to keep their big men healthy the last couple of years.
Joakim Noah, a junior from Florida who entered the draft early, went through a 90-minute workout for the Bobcats on Saturday and new coach Sam Vincent had him shooting plenty of mid-range jump shots.
"What we want to see is his offensive skills," Vincent said. "We want to see him in the post scoring. We want to see his shot from that mid-range area. That is what we're trying to get a feel for."
Vincent called Joakim Noah a player who is "fundamentally sound," but added he'd like to see him work on the release of his jump shot, which tends to be awkward.
"The mechanics of his shot probably need a little adjusting and I'm sure that is something the kid is working on," Vincent said.
Joakim Noah said there wasn't a lot you can take from a short workout, but he wanted the team to know that if they draft him they'll be taking a player with a great work ethic.
"I just want to show them that I am somebody who takes basketball very seriously and not somebody who is just all about going out and partying and doing all kinds of things like that. That's not me," Joakim Noah said. "I'm somebody who takes basketball very seriously."
Despite what has been a hectic and tiring whirlwind tour -- he worked out for the Chicago Bulls on Friday and plans to do the same for the Boston Celtics on Sunday -- Joakim Noah said he's enjoying the experience.
"This is a dream come true," he said. "It's not easy at all. But what a great feeling to be able to say I'm going to play basketball as my profession. To get paid and be able to pay for your own hamburgers ... that's pretty cool."
Along with Joakim Noah, Winthrop's Craig Bradshaw, Nevada's Nick Fazekas, Alabama's Jermareo Davidson, Creighton's Anthony Tolliver, and Virginia State's Avis Wyatt also worked out for the Bobcats on Saturday.
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