The day after Joakim Noah penned his farewell to Chicago, the Bulls brass paid tribute to the energetic center.

[SHOP: Gear up, Bulls fans!]

Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, VP of Basketball Operations John Paxson and GM Gar Forman all made statements praising Noah and his impact on the city.

Reinsdorf:

“You cannot measure the impact Joakim made on our team and the City of Chicago over the last nine years. His concern, commitment and compassion were always on display. He is loved by all in our organization and he will always be a Bull. We want to thank Joakim for his countless contributions to our organization and the city of Chicago, both on and off the court, and we wish him nothing but the best as he begins a new chapter.”

Paxson:

“When we drafted Joakim in 2007, we knew that we were getting a kid with a strong spirit, was a hard worker and was a proven winner. What we didn’t know was the impact that he would make on our organization and the City of Chicago. He worked incredibly hard and eventually became the pulse of our team. Joakim has not only meant a lot to our entire organization and our city, but also to me personally. In this day and age in the NBA, it is rare where you come across a player as genuine, compassionate and real as Jo. The time and energy that he and his family put into his Foundation while he was here in Chicago speaks to the type of human being that he is. On behalf of the Chicago Bulls, I want to thank Joakim for everything that he did for us and I wish him the best as he moves on.”

Forman:

“I have always thought highly of Joakim, not only because of his efforts on the court and in the locker room, but also for his heartfelt work and dedication in the community. These are the tough decisions in this job that nobody likes to make, but unfortunately it comes with the territory. Joakim has meant so much to so many different people on so many different levels. I want to thank him for everything that he has done for our organization over the last nine years and I wish him all my best.”

Farewell, Jo. Chicago definitely won't be the same without you.