Philadelphia 76ers: Nerlens Noel on the Path to Stardom
The favorite to win the 2014-15 NBA Rookie of the Year award is Minnesota Timberwolves wing Andrew Wiggins. 2014’s No. 1 overall draft pick has been a dynamic scorer and a consistent source of highlight-reel material.
Slipping through the cracks is another rookie who’s worth your attention: Philadelphia 76ers big man Nerlens Noel.
Noel, 20, was well on his way to being the No. 1 overall draft pick in the 2013 NBA Draft before tearing his ACL while chasing down an opponent in transition. It was a play that embodied both ends of the spectrum, as his effort was outstanding and the injury devastating.
Roughly two years later, Noel is proving that he belongs.
There’s a reason Noel was the favorite to go No. 1 overall in the 2013 NBA Draft. This is it.
Unfortunately, being projected to be the No. 1 draft pick and actually being selected as such are entirely different things. Tearing his ACL forced him to drop from the No. 1 spot to being taken at No. 6 overall by the New Orleans Pelicans.
He was subsequently packaged with Michael Carter-Williams in a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers for All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday.
Carter-Williams was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks at the 2015 NBA Trade Deadline for no immediate value in another blatant attempt at tanking by general manager Sam Hinkie. That leaves Noel as the last man standing from the Sixers’ decision to trade an All-Star.
That remarkable 12-point, nine-rebound, nine-block and four-steal performance was Noel’s first game since Carter-Williams was traded.
The Sixers also landed Elfrid Payton in the 2014 NBA Draft via the Holiday trade, but he was dealt for European star Dario Saric. Saric has immense potential, but is still in Europe—likely wondering when the Sixers will be relevant enough for him to come overseas.
Noel is on pace to be the first rookie to average at least 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per game since David Robinson in 1989-90.
Noel, meanwhile, is working on a massive, “I told you so,” for the critics.
The former Kentucky Wildcats star is averaging 8.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.1 offensive boards, 1.6 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.6 steals in 30.2 minutes per contest. Those numbers may not stun you, but they should.
According to Basketball-Reference.com, Noel is on pace to be the first rookie to average at least 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per game since David Robinson in 1989-90.
Since blocks and steals were introduced as an officially recorded statistics in 1973-74, no other rookie has achieved the feat.
As for his more advanced rim protecting abilities, NBA.com reports that Noel’s limiting opponents to 46.1 percent shooting when he meets them at the rim.
With one look at him, it’s not hard to see why Noel has caught on so quickly. He stands at just under 7’0″ in shoes and has a massive 7’4″ wingspan with superb mobility, thus making him an absolute terror on the defensive end of the floor.
The question is, how much longer will he be a Sixer?
Philadelphia took center Joel Embiid—another star freshman who slipped in the draft due to a leg-related injury—at No. 3 overall in the 2014 NBA Draft. That doesn’t seem like much of an issue, especially when you consider the fact that both he and Noel are elite defensive prospects.
The trouble: both players are centers.
Noel’s made 14 starts at power forward, conceivably in an attempt to get him reps at his future position. He’s also made 32 starts at center, where he’s producing at a higher and more efficient level.
In his appearances at center, Noel’s averaging 8.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.3 offensive rebounds, 1.7 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.8 steals in 29.0 minutes per game. He’s converting at a clip of 45.0 percent from the field and 61.4 percent from the free throw line in such outings.
At power forward, Noel’s numbers drop to 8.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.8 offensive boards, 1.6 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals in 33.6 minutes. He’s shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 51.3 percent from the charity stripe in those games.
The numbers speak for themselves: Noel should be playing center.
Just don’t expect Noel to back down from the challenge of expanding his offensive game in order to play the 4.
Knowing Hinkie’s track record, as well as Saric’s fit at the 4, this likely means that Noel will be traded in the near future. Even if he does indeed stay put, the former Kentucky star is proving that he belongs.
Wiggins may be the front-runner for Rookie of the Year, but Noel is beginning to look like the future at his position. He’s already a dynamic defensive player who’s on pace to match a feat held by one legendary Hall of Famer.
Whether or not you’re hearing about it, Nerlens Noel is on the path to stardom.
Next: Somehow, Andrew Wiggins is living up to the hype.
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