In one-plus NBA seasons, Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah, the former All-America player at Florida, has gleaned a decade's worth of knowledge about being a pro athlete, especially when it comes to his image.
A bad image, he's come to realize, is a bad thing.
I used to think it doesn't matter,
he said. But it does matter.
This is what Noah, the ninth pick of the 2007 NBA Draft, is learning about the NBA - people notice everything.
In his brief time in the league Noah, who became a rock star of sorts after helping lead the Gators to back-to-back national titles, has sulked about a lack of playing time, wondered aloud about his teammates' effort, been held back because of poor conditioning, and appeared lost at both ends of the court. Last season, he missed the afternoon shoot-around for the regular-season finale when he was late returning from a funeral in New York.
Earlier in the season, he exchanged words with assistant coach Ron Adams and was given a one-game team-imposed suspension. In a weird twist, teammates voted unanimously to extend it to a two-game suspension.
I think I'm the first player in league history that ever got suspended by teammates,
Noah said with a smile. But you know what? The ironic thing about it is I'm actually really close with my teammates. That's something that was never asked by any of the media members.
Perhaps that's because Noah has a frosty relationship with the Chicago media, which hasn't helped matters.
People don't really know who you are, so when those are the only things people know, you're automatically a bad guy,
he said. Sometimes you've just got to be careful. I had a situation happen to me in the summertime (open container of alcohol and marijuana possession in Gainesville). You've just got to be careful and understand about people's perceptions.
As a rookie, Noah played in 74 games, making 31 starts, and averaged 6.6 points and 5.6 rebounds. This season he's played in 26 games, making 11 starts, and is averaging 4.0 points and 5.7 rebounds.
To this day, it's frustrating because I want to do more, and I want to play more, and I think I can do more things on the court,
Noah said, but it's on me to prove myself every time I get my opportunity.
And keep learning. The NBA has been an eye-opening experience.
I had never experienced anything (before last season),
he said. I had never experienced the coach getting fired. I had never experienced the magnitude of the media.
You're kind of like a target, especially when you're in the NBA because everybody knows who you are. You have to be careful, and at the same time realize this is a wonderful opportunity. Not a lot of people get to say they're a professional athlete.
Salmons' hot play could lead to trade
Sacramento guard John Salmons won't win the Most Improved Player Award, but the former University of Miami standout who hails from Philadelphia could be the most improved scorer.
Salmons is a sinewy 6-foot-6, seventh-year player who is averaging a career-best 20 points per game, which is a significant improvement over his career average of 7.5 ppg and his average of 12.5 ppg last season, which was a career-best.
The points, of course, are fairly meaningless for a team that is just 7-23. But Salmons is a defensive wiz, and at a salary of $5 million and two-plus seasons left on his contract, he's making himself a desirable addition for a title contender or playoff team.
Lakers remain level-headed
It's good to hear the Los Angeles Lakers describing their Christmas Day victory over Boston as just another win,
which is how forward Pau Gasol described it after the game.
At full strength (meaning with center Andrew Bynum, who was injured for last season's NBA Finals), the Lakers are a dangerous team. They're deep, athletic and well-coached. But they still need to show they have the mettle to match Boston's intensity in a seven-game series.
Quick playoff checkpoint
Thirty games into the season, there's a good chance the eight teams in the Western Conference playoff picture - L.A. Lakers, San Antonio, New Orleans, Denver, Houston, Portland, Dallas and Utah - are the teams that make the playoffs.
Maybe Dallas falls out for Phoenix, but the West seems set. Memphis, Golden State, the L.A. Clippers, Sacramento, Minnesota and Oklahoma City are done.
The East remains jumbled. Pencil in Boston, Cleveland, Orlando, Detroit and Atlanta.
But among the rest of the teams, there's little separation. Miami, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Chicago, Toronto, and yes, even New York, could all sneak in. Remember, 37 wins could get you a playoff berth in the East.
Only Charlotte, Indiana and Washington certainly are out.
