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Noah's left shoulder fully healed following surgery: 'I'm feeling good'

Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

The left shoulder of center Joakim Noah, who underwent season-ending surgery after dislocating it in a game against the Dallas Mavericks on Jan. 15, shouldn't be an issue moving forward with his new team the New York Knicks.

The two-time All-Star told the Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson on Friday that his shoulder is fully healed, demonstrating as such by stretching it behind his head to show its mobility and that he's without pain.

"I'm feeling good," Noah said.

The 31-year-old will be suiting up at Madison Square Garden for the 2016-17 regular season after signing a four-year, $72-million contract with his hometown squad over the summer. The change of scenery comes after a nine-year stint with the Chicago Bulls, with his final year in The Windy City being the worst of his career, not only because of his injury, but because of a reduced role under new head coach Fred Hoiberg.

"I have no anger towards nobody," Noah said in an interview the week prior. "If we had a couple rough years at the end, I'm just still so grateful for the opportunity the Bulls gave me. It's like a family to me. Even though it's a new chapter for the end of my career to be in New York, I think Chicago is always going to be a home to me."

Noah will return to the United Center when the Knicks take on the Bulls on Nov. 4, which was revealed when the league announced its schedule on Thursday.

"I think the Bulls-Knicks games are going to be good ones," Noah said with a smile on his face. "I'm looking forward to it. I think everybody is. It's going to be a very competitive game with a lot of emotions. I'm trying to stay in the moment and focus on being as healthy as possible."

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