http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/01/sports/basketball/joakim-noah-west-point-new-york-knicks.html 2016-10-01 04:59:16 Joakim Noah, Averse to Wars, Skips Knicks Event at West Point The center did not attend a team dinner with cadets at the United States Military Academy but emphasized that he is not “anti-troops.” === Joakim Noah, the According to news reports, Noah said he had “mixed feelings” about being at West Point, where the team was holding its training camp this week. On Thursday, the team attended a dinner with cadets that included remarks from a retired Army colonel. “It’s hard for me a little bit,” Noah said after a practice on Friday, He added: “At the end of the day, I’m not anti-troops. It’s just not comfortable for me to see kids going out to war and coming back having seen what they’ve seen, having done what they’ve done.” The academy issued Noah’s remarks came against a backdrop of athletes making gestures in protest. In late summer, Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers chose not to stand during the national anthem before his N.F.L. games to protest racial injustice, touching off a national debate. Noah was not prompted by the actions of other athletes, Alyson Furch, senior director of communications for his management team, BDA Sports Management, said in an interview on Friday night. She said that Noah, who joined the Knicks in July on a four-year, $72 million contract, had not intended to be disrespectful or malicious and was “extremely apologetic.” He has long spoken out against violence, she said. “If he’d had another second to say what he said, he would probably would have said it a little differently,” Furch said. Knicks Coach Jeff Hornacek told ESPN that he supported Noah’s decision. “Oh, absolutely,” he said. “Jo’s done, in all his stuff that he does against gun violence and all that, he just didn’t feel comfortable, so that’s plenty fine with us.”