Bulls Noah stars in mane event
It didn't take long for Joakim Noah to answer the mane question on Monday afternoon, when the Bulls' first-round draft choice met with the local media for the first time in his professional career.
"I'm fortunate not to wear a headband," said Joakim Noah, who wore the shoulder-length hair that was his trademark as a Florida star forward the last three seasons. "And I won't wear a headband."
In other words, Joakim Noah doesn't plan to trigger a controversy such as the one that involved Ben Wallace early last season, when the veteran center wore a headband in violation of team rules.
Well aware of the Wallace flap, Joakim Noah wasted no time in broaching the subject with head coach Scott Skiles over dinner on a pre-draft visit here last month.
"At first, I was kind of worried because I had heard all of the issues about that," Joakim Noah said. "But he said that I didn't have to cut my hair but I did have to keep it neat, so I'll keep it neat."
It was the more urgent question that Joakim Noah wasn't nearly as certain about, though.
Joakim Noah said he still experiences pain from what is believed to be a slightly torn right rotator cuff and is unsure whether he will undergo surgery this summer.
A medical procedure could delay the arrival of Joakim Noah to preseason camp in the fall.
"I don't think that's the first option right now," said Joakim Noah, who consulted with a team physician earlier in the day. "They want to see how it is after rehab. I did three weeks of rehab (with workout guru Joe Abunassar) in Los Angeles while I worked out (before the draft) and my shoulder actually felt a lot better."
Joakim Noah suffered the injury in a game vs. South Carolina in mid-February, but he played the remainder of the season.
An MRI at the pre-draft camp in Orlando revealed an abnormality last month, but the specific nature of the problem is unclear at this time.
Second-round draft picks Aaron Gray (Pittsburgh) and JamesOn Curry (Oklahoma State) also were in attendance.
In April, 2004, Curry received a suspended sentence and probation after he pleaded guilty to two felony counts of marijuana possession with intent to sell on school grounds, but his basketball skills were too good to overlook at the 51st overall pick.
"That's something that I got to live with," Curry said. "It's a mistake that I made. I just got to live every day like it's my last and continue to work hard and be a better player and teammate and person."
Meanwhile, Paxson said veteran big men Chris Mihm, Mikki Moore and Joe Smith were on his short list of free-agent candidates. Mihm was scheduled to meet with team officials this weekend.
Mihm has a recent history of ankle problems, while Moore could re-sign with the New Jersey Nets, with whom he played last season.
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