The Joakim Noah All-Star Push Has Begun

Noah’s played so well this year that his bid for a spot on the All-Star team has to be taken seriously: “How much of a long shot was Noah? He wasn’t even among the five Bulls listed on the official NBA ballot. But two months into the season, no one is laughing when the subject of Noah possibly being an All-Star is brought up now. The 6-11 center has been one of the few bright spots for the Bulls, averaging 10.5 points and 12.4 rebounds (third-best in the NBA). ‘He’s been strong,’ Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. ‘He’s one of the top rebounders in the league with his energy and his length. He’s around that basket, and he’s been pretty consistent the whole year.’ After Noah had 17 points and 18 rebounds in the Bulls’ 96-85 victory over the New Orleans Hornets, Del Negro was asked if he would begin pushing Noah for the All-Star Game. ‘No question,’ Del Negro said. ‘Everyone will talk about his rebounding, but he’s made strides with his offense. He works hard. He puts the time in. He’s building on that, working before practice, after, after shootarounds. When you work at things, you usually get better and he’s seeing that. He’s gaining confidence with that.”’