<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Joakim Noah made good on his promise to return to Florida for his junior season. Noah just couldn't come through on another guarantee. Shortly after Florida beat UCLA for the national title, Noah vowed he would return to New York City's Rucker Park this summer and leave with the renowned streetball-league title. "I actually ended up playing one game, and I had to come back to summer school," Noah said. "We didn't make the playoffs. That was tough." Just about everything else came up roses during Noah's breakthrough sophomore season. After playing sparingly as a freshman, the 6-foot-11 forward blossomed into one of the top college post players in the nation, averaging 14.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks a game. Noah's season-long rise culminated in March, when he earned Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors and set an NCAA Tournament record for blocked shots with 29. With his stock high (most NBA Draft analysts had Noah projected among the top three picks), many felt Noah would leave for the NBA Draft. But Noah and teammates Al Horford and Corey Brewer, both projected first-rounders, announced they were coming back during an on-campus celebration April 8. All three kept their word through the April 28 draft deadline, though Noah acknowledged he was contacted by several people over the 20 days who attempted to change his mind. "It's a process that every college player goes through when they are in that situation," Noah said. Noah said he didn't change his cell phone number despite constant hounding from agents. "I can pick up the phone," Noah said. "I'm a grown man. I can make my decision. No one is going to change my decision. Everybody has their opinions and they were probably right, what are you doing, why are you going. But at the end of the day, they are not me." Noah is back living with 2004 classmates Al Horford, Corey Brewer and Taurean Green in a four-bedroom, on-campus apartment that's a bit more spacious than last year's dwelling. Green now has a car, a 2003 Chevy Impala, to drive the group around, though Noah said he prefers walking ("I'm a nomad, he quipped). The bond with his teammates was a big reason Noah said he decided to return for his junior year. "I feel like I'm in a special situation to defend a national championship," Noah said. "I feel like I'm in a situation where I'm playing with some of my best friends, and I'm in a situation where I'm enjoying playing. "I don't know if that's ever going to happen in my life again. I might end up on a team where we lose 40, 50 games a season and end up playing with a guy who takes 40 shots a game. So I don't know. Why would I change that? For money? I don't know. My mother always told me that money doesn't always buy happiness, so I'm not even worried about that. Right now, it's just all about just enjoying my life as a student athlete. " Horford, who didn't even watch the NBA Draft, said that all calls regarding the draft went through his dad, former NBA center Tito Horford. "He kind of took the heat for me, told people not to call me," Horford said. "I think that was a good thing. When you make up your mind, and have people calling you, asking if you have any second thoughts, it makes it easier."</div> Source
It's great to see them back in Gainesville. Luckily the Gators get to start practice earlier than most teams, because we have a tournament or tour or something in Canada during Labor Day. The chemistry of the team is absolutely amazing and it will be interesting if the incoming freshman class(which is underrated) will be able to buy into the quality of the team. 3 interesting stats on the Gators unselfishness.... 1. Every starter scored over 10 points. 2. Every starter had a positive assist to turnover ratio. 3. There was less than a 2 shot difference between our leading shot attempter and our lowest shot attempter in our starting lineup. That right there shows great balance and it will be interesting how they come out. I won't come out and say I think we win it all or anything, but one thing that I do know is that they will be one fun team to watch and cheer for. Despite having 4 of the more talented players in college basketball next year, I bet none get All American honors because of the unselfishness of the team they won't put up that good of stats. Any opinions on how the Gators will be this year?
^^Joakim will be an all american no matter how good his numbers are. If his play is solid, he will get one.
