Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau had the honor of coaching New York Knicks center Joakim Noah in Chicago from 2010 to 2015. Under Thibodeau, Noah thrived, winning Defensive Player of the Year and being named to the All-NBA First Team in 2014. Since receiving those honors, Noah has faced a sharp, injury-fueled decline. Thibodeau believes that when healthy, Noah is still a top-tier player:
“He’s got a very unique skillset. He’s got great vision. He’s got a great feel for the game. He’ll make passes that a point guard will make. And then, offensively, you got to get past looking at his shot. Just being honest,” the Timberwolves coach said, referencing Noah’s aesthetically displeasing shooting form. “He’s a great offensive rebounder. He’s a great screener. He’s a big-time multiple effort guy and he understands defenses and what people are trying to take away. And then defensively, there’s not much he can’t do. Great feet. Great pick-and-roll defender. He’ll make post touches difficult. He’ll make hustle plays that will get your team fired up. But like any player, the health is a big component. When he’s healthy, he’s elite. And I do believe he’ll get there.”
Noah, by his own admission, has not played well this season. Since he began playing for the Knicks, Noah has said that he feels “a step slow defensively,” that he needs to “play better,” and has described his play as “up and down.”
In 15 starts for the Knicks this season, Noah has played 22.5 minutes per game and averaged a career-low four points per game to go with 8.1 rebounds. He has also shot an abysmal 6-21 (28.6%) on free throws.
