The ninth pick in the 2007 draft, Joakim Noah, began his NBA career with the Chicago Bulls. During his 13 seasons in the league, he also played for the New York Knicks, Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers. Nonetheless, he found most success representing the Windy City.
Joakim played nine seasons with the Bulls, achieving notable feats, with the 2013-14 season a highlight. A year that saw him win Defensive Player of the Year and earn All-NBA First Team honors. After parting ways with Chicago in 2016, Noah’s career graph saw a noticeable decline.
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He announced his retirement in 2021 after being waived by the Clippers. During his time in the league, Joakim witnessed many changes both on and off the court. The game had transitioned from bigs dominating the paint to a more fast-paced offense that relied heavily on 3-pointers.
Not to mention, the NBA was more financially driven than ever, thanks to new revenue outlets. Recently, appearing on The Roommates Show, Noah addressed some of the most significant differences he observed between his time in the league and today, especially among players.
“I would say the players are a lot more polished. They’re more media savvy. I think the money is a lot bigger. I think guys understand their positions better. They understand professionalism a lot more,” said the 6’11” center, who believed the current generation was better equipped.
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A well-planned roadmap
Today, information is more available than ever, thanks to the evolution of social media. As a result, players are up to date with everything that’s happening around them and beyond. No doubt, it is a double-edged sword, but the level of preparation is more than ever. Building on his previous points, Noah highlighted the pros and cons.
“In the beginning of my career, we didn’t have social media. So we could go out, and the world wouldn’t know about it. The beauty is you have a more private life, but the money is also probably three times bigger now than it was when than 10 years ago,” added Noah, calling it a give and take situation.
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The veteran center also felt today’s players knew how to take good care of their bodies. They understood the importance of recovery and its role. The current generation undoubtedly benefited from advances in sports medicine.
“I remember being like one of the only one of two players you know getting in an ice tub when I started in my career. When I started in my career, guys were putting a little bit of ice on their knees or whatever, and keep it moving. Now I think people take it a lot more serious.”
However, not very long ago, Joakim had also criticized the NBA for calling fouls on everything.
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The soft narrative
A recurring complaint about the game today is the lack of physicality, a characteristic that the old-school era often despised. A sentiment, Joakim echoed as well, who was one of the elite defenders of his time. Back in 2024, the veteran center explained why he no longer recognized NBA basketball.
“I think that the game, when I look at basketball right now, I don’t recognize basketball from when we used to play it. When we used to play. It’s just so different now, you can’t even compare the eras, the physicality, like you can’t do anything,” described Noah.
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There is no denying that the game has evolved, with a greater emphasis on skill than on physicality. Though the league may want to revisit its officiating system, one can’t deny that every era of basketball brings both positives and negatives.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.