Joakim Noah: 'I Was Too Lit to Play in New York'

Former All-Star Joakim Noah had a forgettable two-year stint in the Big Apple after signing a four-year, $72 million deal with the New York Knicks back in 2016, and now we know why.

He was too lit. Seriously.

"I'm too lit to play in New York City," Noah said on The Chris Vernon Show, h/t Jon Roser. "I was too lit. Memphis is perfect for me. Chicago was lit, too, but I was younger. You can recover faster."

Since signing with Memphis earlier this month, the 33-year-old center is averaging 6.2 points and 3.8 rebounds through his first five appearances, playing 16.0 minutes per game. That comes after he averaged just 4.6 points and 7.9 rebounds in two seasons with New York, playing just 53 games in a Knicks uniform.

Noah is hardly the first professional athlete to fall victim to the New York lifestyle. But with his career hanging in the balance, he has found a place that will give him a chance to focus on basketball.