Noah: "NBA is Boring" <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">GAINESVILLE ? The last NBA game Joakim Noah saw in person could be his last one for some time. The Florida Gators 6-foot-11 sophomore star said Tuesday he plans to return to Gainesville next season, despite his rapid ascension up NBA Draft boards. A trip to the Final Four to face George Mason this weekend, coupled with a visit to Madison Square Garden last season to see the Knicks and New Jersey Nets, make the decision a no-brainer for Noah. "I left in the middle of the game; it was boring," Noah recalled of the Knicks-Nets game. "It's a joke almost. Everything is slowed down ? they play 85 or 82 games or whatever. "College is just so fun." Noah, 21, is in no rush to leave the college game behind, even if he could be drafted among the top five picks and lock up a guaranteed two-year contract worth more than $5 million. Noah isn't alone. Fellow sophomores Al Horford and Corey Brewer have been projected to be top-20 picks. But Horford, a 6-foot-9 center, said he expects all three to return for another run at the Final Four in 2007. "The chances are great," said Horford, who shares an apartment with Noah, Brewer and sophomore point guard Taurean Green. "We love it here." If history is any indication, those feelings can change. Each player will have a decision to make during the next month. The deadline to declare early entry for the draft is April 29. If he doesn't retain an agent, a player can withdraw his name up to 10 days before the June 28 draft. "Don't be surprised if Florida wins the national championship and that one of them says, 'I came to Florida to win a national championship. I can't top that,'" said an NBA source who requested anonymity. "It depends on what's inside the individual." Financial concerns also can drive a decision. Noah is financially secure. His father, Hall of Famer Yannick Noah, earned millions playing tennis and now fills stadiums in Europe as a reggae pop star. Horford's and Brewer's financial situations are less clear. But all three are focused on one thing ? a national championship. "Next year's next year," Horford said. "After the season, we'll talk about what we have to talk about. Right now we're seizing the moment." No one seems to be embracing it quite like Noah. The idea of earning millions of dollars to play against the best players in the world pales in comparison to a Final Four. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," he said. "I'm not going to let what people are saying about me being a lottery pick or whatever affect what we've done this year."</div> Source
