Joakim Noah reflects on "full circle moment" as Paris prepares to host NBA game

Joakim Noah shares his thoughts on the Chicago Bulls' return to Paris after 25 years.

As Paris gets ready to host its first NBA game since 2020, Chicago Bulls legend Joakim Noah could not help but look back with fondness at how much the game of basketball has grown since then. He said that it was truly a "full circle moment" for him to be able to witness the event on Thursday, having grown up in Paris and watching the Bulls play there at the McDonald's Championship in 1997 before continuing his own journey to NBA stardom.

A special moment

Noah recently spoke about how special this upcoming event is for him. After all, the American-born player of French-Swedish origin grew up in Paris, having lived there from 1988 to 1998. When the Bulls came to town in 1997, Noah was there to witness Michael Jordan and the Bulls win the title in the said tournament after beating several of the top European clubs.

"The Paris game 2023 is something that's very special for me personally. I was here in 97 when the Bulls came with Michael Jordan, and that was my first NBA game. So it was a full circle moment," said Noah, who now acts as an ambassador for the Bulls.

Joakim Noah reflects on watching Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls during his first NBA Game in Paris in 1997 and what it means to be back in 2023!

🇫🇷: #NBAParis
🏀: Pistons/Bulls
📅: Thursday, 3pm/et, NBA TV pic.twitter.com/hQ4M3ON8Hs

— NBA History (@NBAHistory) January 17, 2023

That moment was a pivotal one for Noah as it helped inspire him to pursue a professional career in the United States. After becoming a star at Florida, Noah was selected 9th in the 2007 NBA Draft and soon became a crowd favorite, both for his defensive prowess and for his limitless energy. He was also a two-time NBA All-Star, winning the 2014 Defensive Player of the Year Award in the process.

Full circle

From a kid in Paris who had dreams of basketball stardom in the US to an ambassador for the Bulls, the upcoming event in Paris will be a full-circle moment for Noah.

"You know, it's really a dream come true because I remember being a kid and, and having these dreams of playing in the NBA playing for the Bulls, and it happened, and now I'm retired. And, you know, 25 years later, I'm here sitting and talking about the Bulls playing here as an ambassador for the Bulls. It's a real full circle moment for me and my family," shared Noah.