Nerlens Noel might be forced to miss his entire rookie season with the Philadelphia 76ers as he recovers from left knee surgery, according to ESPN.
Noel, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, had surgery last March after tearing his ACL a month earlier in the last game he played as a member of the Kentucky Wildcats.
"I doubt, everybody doubts that he's going to play this year," 76ers coach Brett Brown told ESPN of his rookie center. "We don't want to waste this year. I think from a skill perspective, it's an opportunity for us to break down his shot, really work on his free throws and start a little bit from ground zero."
Originally, the timetable for Noel's on court-return was pegged at six to eight months after famed surgeon Dr. James Andrews, who performed the procedure, pronounced him ahead of schedule.
"We're really happy with his progress," Andrews said back then. "He's several weeks ahead of schedule on his rehab. He's improving on a weekly basis. He has a completely stable knee.
Philadelphia acquired Noel and a protected 2014 first-round draft pick from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday. NBA sources speculated Noel slipped from his once No. 1 projected draft slot because of concern over his knee.
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