It's been nearly two years since he was drafted, yet Joel Embiid still has not played a minute for the Philadelphia 76ers.
There is optimism in the organisation, though, that the No. 3 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft will be ready to make his long-awaited debut when the 2016-2017 season begins, according to 76ers coach Brett Brown.
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"I think that he's coming along tremendously," Brown said Tuesday on the Mike and Ike Show . "I think that, from a maturity standpoint and the reality of the professionalism that is required for him to be money and just perfect with the rehab, pre-hab, nutrition, all of that with his foot is ever present in Joel Embiid.”
A broken bone in his right foot cost Embiid his first two seasons. The 7-footer originally underwent surgery for a stress fracture in the foot before the 2014 draft. He then re-broke the bone during the 2015 offseason and sat out all of last year.
Brown said he has a “strong belief” that Embiid will finally play for Philadelphia next season.
"I think that he is all over the place, on track, to have just a solid first year," Brown said.
"There could be minute restrictions on his first year where we start off the season slowly with him, but in general, I know he's just so excited to get out and play basketball again."
Even if Embiid does start the season, he’ll still have his work cut out for him, as he’ll be playing with fellow top-five picks Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel and whichever rookie the team picks in the lottery next month.
Then again, the 76ers can use all the help they can get.