Joakim Noah's One City Basketball League all set to tip off

During his playing years, Chicago Bulls great Joakim Noah was the epitome of passion, energy, and enthusiasm. He inspired generations of young players to take their game to the next level and he will continue to do so with his new venture into youth basketball.

As the One City Basketball League is set to tip off soon in Chicago with some of the top talent in the city, Noah says this endeavor goes beyond the sport.

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

City-wide competition

The One City Basketball League will start on May 20 and will end in August. It involves 280 players from all over the city, with ages ranging from 16 to 25. The competition offers players the opportunity to rise above many issues plaguing the Windy City through the game of basketball. The tournament is made possible through a collaboration between the Noah's Arc Foundation, Transform Justice and 28 violence reduction groups.

The coaches of the teams in the One City Basketball League also have extensive training dealing with "conflict resolution, educational off-court programming, art therapy, and job placement opportunities."

"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 coming back here. And at the end of the day, I know there are issues in this city that we have to tackle. And as an ambassador not just for the Bulls but for the city, I want to do right. This gives me purpose," Noah explained.

Meaningful retirement

The former Defensive Player of the Year added that he didn't want to be like other stars, who just faded away once their careers ended. Noah said he wants to continue to inspire other people and give back to the community. He is now focused on creating a new legacy that will outgrow his playing career.

"When you're done playing, you got to think of things to do. You can't just be lying around at home, your wife looking at you all crazy like, 'What are you going to do today?' I want to do things that inspire me. The people who are putting in work in this city, those are the people who inspire me. I love being around them."