Chicago Bulls: Oct. 28 will be Joakim Noah Night vs. Knicks
We are now roughly one month away from the start of the regular season for the Chicago Bulls and second-year head coach Billy Donovan. The Bulls tip off the regular season slate on Oct. 20 on the road against Cade Cunningham and the divisional foe Detroit Pistons. And then, the home opener for the Bulls is set for Oct. 22 at the United Center against the New Orleans Pelicans and the star forward duo of Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.
It’s not long before the first promotional/ceremonial night arrives for the Bulls in the upcoming regular season slate. The first ceremonial night at the United Center during the 2021-22 regular season looks to be for center Joakim Noah.
According to a report from K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago early this week, the Bulls are planning to host “Joakim Noah Night” at the United Center on Oct. 28 in a home meeting with the Eastern Conference foe New York Knicks.
This likely isn’t a coincidence that the Bulls are set to honor Noah on the same night that the team faces former Chicago head coach Tom Thibodeau, point guard Derrick Rose, and the Knicks at the United Center. Thibs and Rose have been with the Knicks since last season.
Chicago Bulls set to honor Joakim Noah on Oct. 28 against the New York Knicks
And both played integral roles in how the Bulls shaped out during the years where Noah played in the Windy City.
Last season, Noah officially announced his retirement from the NBA. Thus, it makes sense that the Bulls will use an early season matchup with the Knicks at the United Center to honor this great big man in the franchise’s history.
The Bulls are also reportedly set to honor the recent Hall-of-Fame inductee and forward Toni Kukoc at the United Center in this matchup with the Knicks on Oct. 28. Kukoc was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall-of-Fame as part of the class of 2021 officially earlier this month.
The last game that the two-time All-Star, three-time All-Defensive Team selection, and 2013-14 Defensive Player of the Year, Noah played was with the Los Angeles Clippers to cap the 2019-20 season. His last game played with the Bulls came back during the 2015-16 campaign.
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Ironically enough, the team that the Bulls traded Noah to following the 2015-16 season was the Knicks. Noah played a couple of seasons for the Knicks as his playing days in the NBA wound down in the late 2010s.