Joakim Noah discusses his time with the Knicks: "I struggled to communicate effectively on the court"

In February, Joakim Noah ended his six-year absence from Madison Square Garden by attending a game between his former and hometown team, the New York Knicks, and the Memphis Grizzlies, which the Knicks won 123-113.

Noah, who grew up in New York City, was unsure if he was supporting the Knicks or Memphis because his longtime teammate, Derrick Rose, was playing for the Grizzlies, and Noah also played for the Grizzlies.

In an interview with Planet Chronicle Digital at the U.S. Open last week, Noah revealed that he now roots for players more than the actual teams.

Noah and Rose were teammates on the Chicago Bulls before moving to the Knicks in 2016.

Despite their initial shared tenure in New York, Rose left the following year and Noah was released in 2018.

In 2016, Noah fulfilled his childhood dream of moving to New York and joining the team he admired in the '90s. However, this new environment presented challenges that hindered him from becoming the person he truly desired to be.

Noah expressed disappointment about not being able to play 100% for the Knicks.

"Although I couldn't compete or express myself on the court as I had hoped, it was still a childhood dream. Despite not going as planned, it was a valuable experience that taught me about life's uncertainties."

In 2016, the Knicks signed Noah to a four-year, $72 million contract, but they ultimately waived him during the 2018 preseason, with two years and $37.8 million remaining on his contract.

In the season preceding that, an incident took place in January where Noah and former Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek had a physical altercation. The coach was reportedly the one who initiated the confrontation. As a result, Noah did not play another game for the Knicks after that.

In his first season with the Knicks in 2016-17, Noah's performance was typical of a veteran player. He averaged 8.8 rebounds, 5 points, and 2.2 assists, which were similar to his previous seasons in Chicago. However, his numbers were not as impressive as they were during his All-Star seasons in 2012-13 and 2013-14.

In March 2017, Noah was suspended for 20 games without pay for violating the league's anti-drug policy after testing positive for a drug called LGD-4033. Due to a left knee injury, he was unlikely to play the final 10 games of the season, so the suspension carried over into the first 10 games of the 2017–18 season.

In April, Noah underwent surgery for a left torn rotator cuff and would need four to six months to recover.

Before the incident with Hornacek, Noah's second season with the Knicks saw a significant decline in his performance. He played only seven games that year, all coming off the bench, and averaged just 2 rebounds, 1.7 points, and 0.6 assists.

Noah's dream of playing for the Knicks came to an end, and he spent the last two years of his career as a journeyman bench player. He had a productive season for Memphis in 2018-19, playing just five games for the LA Clippers in 2019-20.

Despite the messy breakup, the childhood Knicks fan couldn't resist visiting Madison Square Garden this year and was thrilled to see star point guard Jalen Brunson play.

Seeing the energy and love in the crowd for these players was a great feeling, Noah said, as this team is truly special and deserves it.

"I recall observing Jalen Brunson, whose father Rick Brunson was my coach with the Bulls. I watched him play when he was around 11 or 12 years old in Chicago. Now, seeing him succeed and the humility with which he does it is truly enjoyable. Additionally, his contributions to basketball in the city, particularly as a point guard, have been remarkable."

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