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"Staying in this city would have killed me" – Joakim Noah opens up about dark side of his Knicks stint
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- "Staying in this city would have killed me" – Joakim Noah opens up about dark side of his Knicks stint
It's hard to remember Joakim Noah in anything other than a Chicago Bulls jersey. The former NBA All-Star spent the prime years of his career in Chicago.
As injuries began to take a toll on his body and confidence, Noah's time with the Bulls came to an end, eventually leading him to the New York Knicks. However, he described his tenure in the Big Apple as one of the darkest periods of his professional career.
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"You know, this was my dream since I was six years old, and I got kicked off my home team," Noah said on Run it Back. "The truth is, staying in this city would have killed me. It's the dark side of sports."
A difficult transitionfor Noah
In the 2007 draft, the Bulls drafted Noah with the ninth overall pick out of the University of Florida. During his nine-year stint with the team, he averaged 9.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game, while earning two All-Star selections, a Defensive Player of the Year award and three All-Defensive Team nods.
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In the latter chapters of his time in Chicago, however, he battled several major injuries, including persistent knee problems and a dislocated left shoulder. This accelerated his decline and diminished his value, but the Knicks still signed him to a four-year, $72 million deal in free agency in 2016.
Noah carried that baggage into his first game against the Bulls as a Knick on November 4, 2016 , a night he still looks back on with mixed emotions. He finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists as the Knicks won, 117-104. But for him, the transition proved difficult.
"I talked to Taj [Gibson] and people about that night, and they're like, 'I hate that night.' It was just like playing against guys that you've been playing with for, you know, eight years," he said. " That year was tough. I thought I was prepared for coming home and playing on that stage, and, you know, I wasn't."
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Failing in New York hit Noah hard
Still, born and raised in Manhattan, New York, Noah was grateful for the chance to play for the Knicks. Noah tried his best to represent New York, but injuries continued to limit his production and availability. His struggles were compounded by reported tensions with the coaching staff, particularly former head coach Jeff Hornacek , as well as concerns surrounding his off-court lifestyle, marked by hard partying in the city.
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After two seasons, the Knicks ultimately cut him in October 2018. He averaged only 4.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists. At that point, he knew that his best years in the NBA were coming to an end.
"I was a shell of myself. Months go by, and, you know, my confidence is in the sh–s…To fail on a stage that matters to you so much," he said. "But, yeah, this is life, you know? This isn't like, this isn't all peaches and cream. This is the most special moments in my life and some of the hardest moments in my life."
The dark side of sports
Noah would later suit up for the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers over the last two seasons of his career before retiring in 2021. During his career, he earned around $142 million, per Spotrac .
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It was a product of 13 years of hard work, sacrifices, criticism, injuries and recovery — the dark side of sports that only Noah and his fellow professional athletes know.
"A lot of angels and a lot of support during some pretty dark times. You know, people will say, 'Oh, yeah, but you were making a lot of money," he said. "Yeah, I was making a lot of money, but it was also some of the hardest times of my life."
Playing in New York was the most lucrative opportunity for Noah, but the disappointment that marked his tenure ultimately made him dread his time there and appreciate his time in Chicago even more.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Oct 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
