Noah still in 'bit of pain' with touchy rotator cuff
The first stop Joakim Noah made when he arrived in Chicago was the office of Brian Cole, the Bulls' team physician.
Cole examined Joakim Noah's right rotator cuff, which was injured Feb. 21 during Florida's victory over South Carolina that clinched the Southeastern Conference regular-season title. An MRI taken late last season was fully disclosed to all NBA teams during the predraft camp in June.
''I'm in a little bit of pain right now, and it's something that's been bothering me for a long time,'' said Joakim Noah, whom the Bulls drafted last week with the ninth pick of the first round. ''It's something I definitely want to get back to 100 percent before the season.''
Bulls general manager John Paxson said surgery is not being considered at this time in hopes that a rehabilitation program will heal what has been reported as a slight tear. Joakim Noah will not participate on either of the Bulls' two summer-league teams but will travel to Orlando, Fla., and Salt Lake City with those squads this month.
''We're going to rest it for the next month or so,'' Paxson said. ''Anytime you talk about [surgery], that's a last resort. Our doctors are confident if we go this approach ... but you just can't know.
''Long term, we know everything is going to be fine. But in the short term, we'll just have to check it out.''
Joakim Noah went through three weeks of rehab in Los Angeles before his predraft workouts.
''And my shoulder felt a lot better,'' said Joakim Noah, who bypassed surgery after the Gators' second NCAA championship run in the spring so he could work out for NBA teams considering drafting him.
''With the process that's been going on and flying from team to team and competing, I didn't have time to do any of the rehab, so it was a little bit tough because I was in pain all the time. But I just wanted to show teams that I was ready to compete and that a little problem in my shoulder was not going to stop me from playing.''
Joakim Noah, whose long hair has received lots of attention, said he was aware of the headband flap involving Bulls center Ben Wallace last season.
''I won't wear a headband,'' said Joakim Noah, who will wear No. 13, as he did at Florida. ''I asked Coach [Scott Skiles] at one of the dinners because, at first, I was kind of worried because I heard about all the issues about that. He said I didn't have to cut my hair, but I did have to keep it neat. So I'll keep it neat.''
Joakim Noah also will keep being the charismatic kid that he is, an always-on personality that Bulls officials believe will be a positive.
''I'm going to be me,'' Joakim Noah said. ''Unless Coach thinks that I'm hurting the team by being who I am, I'll calm down. I don't think I was hurting the team at Florida by being myself. But if Coach thinks that I'm doing too much...
''I'm in a new situation right now, I understand. It's a little different than at Florida. To me, winning is more important than anything.''
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