Joakim Noah feeling '100 percent healthy'

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Joakim Noah is hoping his foot problems are finally behind him.

After dealing with plantar fasciitis off and on for the last four seasons, Noah proclaimed himself ready to go as he starts the 2013-14 campaign.

"I feel great," Noah said confidently at Bulls media day Friday. "My feet feel great. I'm 100 percent healthy, and I'm so excited for this year. This is what it's all about. Just being in a position right now to have our team healthy at the start of camp. We've got a lot of work to do, but we feel like this is our time."

Noah believes he put in enough work over the summer to get past his physical ailments of the past few years.

"I kept doing my offseason training," he said. "I had a lot of time, a lot of time for myself to get myself in order, get my body feeling right. I feel strong, I feel healthy, and I feel like I've been really working on my game and I've been waiting for this for a long time, especially with Derrick (Rose) coming back and the team that we have, we feel like we can really, really do it."


Noah noted that he was "mentally strong, physically strong" and ready to start the season after spending a portion of the summer with famous surfer Laird Hamilton. Noah spent some time working with Hamilton last summer and said that Hamilton was like a "big brother" to him.

"He looks great," Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau said of Noah. "I've watched him work out, and he's in a great place right now. He's looking forward to the season, he had a terrific year last year, and we're looking for even more out of him this year."