Joakim Noah’s foundation to launch One City Basketball League

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Noah’s foundation to launch Chicago youth league originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

When Joakim Noah and his mother, Cecilia Rodhe, created Noah’s Arc Foundation in 2010, they talked about establishing longtime bonds within the city that embraced Noah’s passionate play for the Chicago Bulls.

They even kept the foundation based in Chicago when Noah ended his nine-season run with the Bulls and signed with the New York Knicks in 2016.

So it stands to reason that three years after he officially retired from the NBA, Noah sat at the United Center on Saturday morning, surrounded by political and youth leaders and community service organizers, talking about his foundation’s biggest project yet.

On May 20, the One City Basketball League will begin. It will run into August, giving 280 players ranging in age from 16 to 25 from the South and West sides of the city the opportunity to use basketball as a potential springboard to transcend some of the many issues plaguing Chicago.

The collaboration between Noah’s Arc Foundation, Transform Justice and 28 violence reduction groups will feature coaches trained in conflict resolution and, according to program manager Yolam Anderson-Golhor, offer educational off-court programming, art therapy and job placement opportunities.

“This is a lot bigger than basketball,” Noah said. “This is my job now.”

Noah served as the emotional epicenter for a Bulls era that galvanized the city, featuring large personalities and talents like Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Tom Thibodeau and others. Throughout it all, including the Bulls’ trip to the 2011 Eastern Conference finals, his foundation consistently gave back to the community.

That included several years of the Noah’s Arc Foundation Peace Tournament, a smaller-scaled version of what the One City Basketball League vision is. Those one-off tournaments took place over one weekend.

This league will be a weeks-long event, featuring seven games each Saturday at one site on the South side and one site on the West side.

“This city has given me so much. This is where my platform is. This is some of the best memories of my life. I love…

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Author : NBC Sports Chicago

Publish date : 2023-05-13 19:24:38

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