Joakim Noah visits Manila, talks about value of hard work and teamwork in clinic

Joakim Noah was in Manila recently for a string of activities, one of which is a basketball clinic with young hoopers for Jr. NBA and WNBA last Sunday in Mandaluyong.

In the clinic, Noah emphasized on the values of hard work and being a good teammate.

"I played in the NBA for 13 years, I got some good opportunities, but it starts with your work. It starts with your work ethic. Compete, be a good teammate. These are all the things coaches are looking at," Noah told the young players on Sunday. 

"Stay focused. If you see a teammate down, pick them up because these college coaches and these people come and watch, that's what they are watching."

Noah also emphasized on basketball being a team sport and each part of the team has a role to do.

"Not everybody is gonna be Kobe Bryant. Not everybody is gonna be a superstar," he said. 

"Sometimes you have a role to play. What do you do to affect winning the game? This is a team sport, sometimes you have to sacrifice. It's not only about scoring, sometimes it's about playing good defense."

"Sometimes it's about being a good teammate. These are values in whatever you do in life. Whatever you do in basketball, it will help whatever you do in life," he added.

Aside from teaching kids, Noah's three-day trip to Manila showed him the Philippines' love for basketball.

"You know, right when I got off the plane, I couldn’t believe how many people knew that, I haven’t played in a basketball game in such a long time and, people were like ‘Oh! Chicago Bulls!’, you know? I had heard that it was a basketball culture, I didn’t know to what extent. It’s beautiful to see a culture that really loves basketball," he told reporters.

Noah was a two-time NBA All-Star and played with the Chicago Bulls the longest from 2007 to 2016. After his stint with the Bulls, Noah played for the New York Knicks, Memphis Grizzlies, and the Los Angeles Clippers.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News