Bulls' Noah focused on getting healthy; 'I'm hungry right now'

With a new mantra, Joakim Noah is focusing on next season rather than dwelling on the past.

“Last year was last year,” Noah said to ESPN's Jon Greenberg.

"I’m hungry right now," he continued. "I don’t want to talk about it too much, but the way last year played out and how I felt like I really struggled, I just want to be as right as possible, just for the team.

"I’m just in my moment right now."

The "moment" the Chicago Bulls center is referring to is his recovery after limping his way through the 2014-15 campaign. The 30-year-old New Yorker played in 67 games last season - limited by a surgically repaired knee - averaging 7.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and 44.5 percent from the field.

"It was a tough year, but you know what? I learned a lot from it," he said. "Sometimes, you have to learn through adversity."

Noah's numbers represented the least-efficient season of his eight-year pro career.

"I feel like my teammates were really patient with me last year, and I appreciate them for that," Noah said. "I just want to show them I’m capable of helping them."

Using the Bulls' disappointing 2014-15 season finale - a Game 6 drubbing at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers - as offseason motivation, Noah has been working on his conditioning in order to re-establish his elite status.

Noah has been training at the Peak Performance Project - a Santa Barbara-based facility which has helped a several former and current NBA players get into shape - since July, and plans to continue his sessions there until September.

Noah raves about the techniques employed by P3: "You get there the first day, and they put you in a bodysuit, put all these pingpong balls on you and make you jump and do all these basketball motions - and you can see it in slow motion and see where your body kind of breaks down."

Using similar technology that helped Atlanta Hawks sharpshooter Kyle Korver reinvigorate his career, Noah is pleased with the benefits he sees from the evaluation methods, "There’s somebody there all the time correcting you, correcting your mechanics on how to train. It’s very repetitive, but it also teaches you about your body and being more aware (of) where your weaknesses are and how to strengthen them."

The two-time All-Star and 2014 Defensive Player of the Year is looking forward to playing for newly minted head coach Fred Hoiberg, as they're set to tip-off next season against the team that ended their 2015 playoff run.

"It’s a fresh start," Noah said. "I’m really excited about the opportunity and, most of all, going out there and proving myself again."