FIBA Basketball
FRA - Modest Noah
INDIANAPOLIS (NCAA) - Joakim Noah has the celebrity status but he spends most of his time promoting his Florida Gators team-mates.Noah, the son of French tennis legend Yannick Noah, was voted the MVP of the Minneapolis Region after leading Florida into this weekend's NCAA Final Four.A bushy-haired, 6ft 11 power forward, Noah was outstanding against Georgetown and Villanova in the
INDIANAPOLIS (NCAA) - Joakim Noah has the celebrity status but he spends most of his time promoting his Florida Gators team-mates.
Noah, the son of French tennis legend Yannick Noah, was voted the MVP of the Minneapolis Region after leading Florida into this weekend's NCAA Final Four.
A bushy-haired, 6ft 11 power forward, Noah was outstanding against Georgetown and Villanova in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, respectively.
Noah had 21 points, a career-high 15 rebounds and five blocked shots against Villanova.
His performances in the NCAA Tournament have fuelled speculation that France coach Claude Bergeaud may want to include the 21-year-old in the Les Bleus squad for the FIBA World Championship.
Noah is trying to keep his feet on the ground.
"I know that without my team-mates, I would not be getting the publicity I am getting right now," Noah said.
Noah, who played high school basketball in New Jersey, has joined a tradition which has seen many sons and daughters of famous athletes play college sports.
The spotlight fell on Mike Dunleavy Jr when he was at Duke University several years ago.
His dad, Mike Sr, spent many years in the NBA and is now coaching the Los Angeles Clippers.
It has fallen on Jessica Elway at Stanford. Her Hall of Fame father, John Elway, is the Denver Broncos legend.
DJ Strawberry of the Maryland Terps is the son of former baseball star Darryl Strawberry.
Whether he likes it or not, Noah is a magnet for attention.
He has a lot of personality on the court and talks freely in press conferences.
After their win over Villanova, Noah was asked if his sophomore-dominated team compared to the Fab Five at Michigan.
That side included current NBA players Chris Webber, Jalen Rose and Juwan Howard, along with Jimmy King and Ray Howard and they were young and brash.
The Fab Five reached back-to-back NCAA Finals in 1992 and '93 but lost them both.
"I don't know anything about them," Noah said.
"I just know that Chris was on that team, and Jalen Rose, but whatever. The Gators boys are hot right now, so no comparisons ... hopefully we get a nice little ring in Indianapolis."
Noah was asked this week about all of the attention he has received in the NCAA Tournament.
"In the beginning, I worried about how my team-mates would react," Noah said this week.
"It is weird when one person is getting all the attention, because deep in my heart I know that everybody deserves it.
"I know that without guys like Corey Brewer and Al Horford, I would not be getting all the high percentage shots that I am getting.
"I am busting my butt and working hard, but so is everyone else. We are sharing the ball and playing unselfishly. We are not worried about statistics, it is all about winning."
Florida coach Billy Donovan says the reason why Noah's fame is not a problem is down to Noah himself.
"When the media comes to him in the locker room or wherever, he wants to spread it around," Donovan said.
"He doesn't view himself as a celebrity or a team leader.
"He just doesn't look at it that way, and our guys respect that."
Florida take on George Mason on Saturday in one semi-final and if they win, they will meet the winner of LSU's clash with UCLA.
By PA Sport, Exclusively for FIBA
Noah, the son of French tennis legend Yannick Noah, was voted the MVP of the Minneapolis Region after leading Florida into this weekend's NCAA Final Four.
A bushy-haired, 6ft 11 power forward, Noah was outstanding against Georgetown and Villanova in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, respectively.
Noah had 21 points, a career-high 15 rebounds and five blocked shots against Villanova.
His performances in the NCAA Tournament have fuelled speculation that France coach Claude Bergeaud may want to include the 21-year-old in the Les Bleus squad for the FIBA World Championship.
Noah is trying to keep his feet on the ground.
"I know that without my team-mates, I would not be getting the publicity I am getting right now," Noah said.
Noah, who played high school basketball in New Jersey, has joined a tradition which has seen many sons and daughters of famous athletes play college sports.
The spotlight fell on Mike Dunleavy Jr when he was at Duke University several years ago.
His dad, Mike Sr, spent many years in the NBA and is now coaching the Los Angeles Clippers.
It has fallen on Jessica Elway at Stanford. Her Hall of Fame father, John Elway, is the Denver Broncos legend.
DJ Strawberry of the Maryland Terps is the son of former baseball star Darryl Strawberry.
Whether he likes it or not, Noah is a magnet for attention.
He has a lot of personality on the court and talks freely in press conferences.
After their win over Villanova, Noah was asked if his sophomore-dominated team compared to the Fab Five at Michigan.
That side included current NBA players Chris Webber, Jalen Rose and Juwan Howard, along with Jimmy King and Ray Howard and they were young and brash.
The Fab Five reached back-to-back NCAA Finals in 1992 and '93 but lost them both.
"I don't know anything about them," Noah said.
"I just know that Chris was on that team, and Jalen Rose, but whatever. The Gators boys are hot right now, so no comparisons ... hopefully we get a nice little ring in Indianapolis."
Noah was asked this week about all of the attention he has received in the NCAA Tournament.
"In the beginning, I worried about how my team-mates would react," Noah said this week.
"It is weird when one person is getting all the attention, because deep in my heart I know that everybody deserves it.
"I know that without guys like Corey Brewer and Al Horford, I would not be getting all the high percentage shots that I am getting.
"I am busting my butt and working hard, but so is everyone else. We are sharing the ball and playing unselfishly. We are not worried about statistics, it is all about winning."
Florida coach Billy Donovan says the reason why Noah's fame is not a problem is down to Noah himself.
"When the media comes to him in the locker room or wherever, he wants to spread it around," Donovan said.
"He doesn't view himself as a celebrity or a team leader.
"He just doesn't look at it that way, and our guys respect that."
Florida take on George Mason on Saturday in one semi-final and if they win, they will meet the winner of LSU's clash with UCLA.
By PA Sport, Exclusively for FIBA