<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">INDIANAPOLIS - As a crowd of reporters gathered at his Florida locker Monday night, sophomore forward Joakim Noah told stories of his varied experiences, ranging from his upbringing in Paris to summer pickup games in Harlem's Rucker Park. Then, the subject of whether he would leave Florida for the NBA Draft was broached. "Right now, let us enjoy this," Noah said. "We're going to go really hard tonight, just enjoy this and then maybe in a couple of weeks I'll think about it." Florida's first national championship in school history was a coming-out party for the 6-foot-11 Noah, who set an NCAA Tournament record for blocked shots with 29 in six games. Noah reached double figures in scoring in 16 of his last 18 games this season, averaging 15.5 points and 10.4 rebounds during Florida's 11-game winning streak. The 21-year-old Noah's inspired play on a national stage has caught the attention of NBA scouts, who see potential in his rangy build and ability to run the floor for his size. An NBA pre-draft trainer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said three teams have inquired about working out Noah as the top overall pick. Another NBA scout said Noah would likely go in the top three if he decides to leave. Underclassmen have until April 28 to declare for the NBA Draft. They can declare without hiring an agent and pull their names back by June 18 and return to Gainesville. The top pick in the NBA Draft, under the current collective bargaining agreement, would earn two years guaranteed at $9.4 million with options up to four years and $22 million. On the flip side, Noah enjoys school and his teammates. He lives with his sophomore teammates Al Horford, Taurean Green and Corey Brewer in a four-bedroom apartment on campus. And Noah talked about how much it hurt him to sit behind David Lee on the bench as a freshman. In the NBA, there are no guarantees of playing time, regardless of draft status. "Noah has such incredible length and such incredible athletic ability, he doesn't risk much by coming back," said Jason Levien, a Miami-based agent who represents former Gator and current Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem. "I can't imagine he would be hurt by coming back to school. He's going to get better as a player at Florida under Billy Donovan than he will as a rookie in the NBA."</div> Source
