It's hard to believe how long it's been since Nerlens Noel last played.
Eighteen months ago—February 2013 was when he tore his ACL against Florida while attempting a chase-down block off a 70-foot sprint.
Noel sat out his entire rookie season after the Philadelphia 76ers traded up for him in the 2013 NBA draft. Considering the last competitive game he played in came a year and a half ago, immediate expectations should be somewhat tempered.
But how about that summer league debut?
I'm not sure he could have asked for a better one, having gone for 19 points, four steals and a block in 26 minutes. He flashed the bounce and athleticism we saw at Kentucky, along with some newly polished touch and footwork.
Noel played 24 games in college, and not once did he hit the 20-point mark. Though there's a lot less structure in summer league than there is under John Calipari, this offensive debut from Noel should have been awfully encouraging.
"I haven't been thinking about the knee for many months now," Noel told ESPN's Michael Wallace. "So I'm definitely going to continue to get ...
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Article written by Jonathan Wasserman
Realistic Expectations for Philadelphia 76ers’ Nerlens Noel This Season
July 8th, 2014 by Jonathan Wasserman Leave a reply »
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