The Philadelphia 76ers entered the 2013 NBA draft in a tough spot. They had just finished a very disappointing 2012-13 season at 34-48 after swinging a huge blockbuster deal in the offseason to acquire Andrew Bynum.
The hope was that Bynum would team with Jrue Holiday and help the Sixers take the next step. Philadelphia was one win away from the Eastern Conference finals in 2012 as an No. 8 seed, and the Sixers hoped Bynum would help them get to that next level.
Instead, Bynum didn’t play a single game because of multiple knee injuries. Despite an All-Star season from Holiday, Philadelphia floundered.
On draft night, the Sixers pulled the trigger on a rebuild. They sent Holiday to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for the No. 6 pick, which they used on Nerlens Noel out of Kentucky. Noel missed all of the 2013-14 season due to a knee injury, but he played in 75 games in the 2014-15 season averaging 9.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.9 blocks.
Noel was also solid in the 2015-16 season averaging 11.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks. It looked like he could be an anchor for a very solid defensive team for a long time in Philadelphia.
However, once Joel Embiid became healthy for the 2016-17 season, Noel’s minutes and role diminished. He averaged only 19.4 minutes per game with the Sixers as Embiid began to dominate rather quickly. Philadelphia then sent him to the Dallas Mavericks at the deadline.
Noel has since played for the Oklahoma City Thunder and is with the New York Knicks. He helped the Knicks make the playoffs in 2021 and, when healthy, he has been a very solid defensive player everywhere he has been.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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