Adrian Fedkiw
Ben Simmons is no longer in a boot, was shooting free throws Tuesday and the excitement of his return continues to grow.
Das boot!
Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown joined 97.5 and Anthony Gargano’s Morning Show Wednesday to discuss Simmons’ progression after he fractured the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot during the final scrimmage of the team’s Training Camp at Stockton in late September.
The visual image of him without a boot was a large part of my own excitement, the reality that he still has a long way to go, but he’s making progress … He’s a stud physically, he’s 6-foot-10 legitimately, 245 pounds. You see him carrying himself, he has a physical presence. To see him walk around and shoot some free throws and integrate with the team.
Despite all the progress, Brown admits that there’s still a ways away before Simmons makes his NBA debut.
He’s still a ways away and we’re very conservative and walking this down slowly, but that first sort of visual of the first player chosen in the draft and he’s ours and he walks out on the court without any sort of assistance is a good day.
Progression though, we’re getting there. Simmons’ future running mate Joel Embiid has already shown flashes of potential greatness and Brown says “we’re just tasting” what he can be.
We’re just tasting it, we’re just seeing infant stages of what we all think of what he can be. There is the potential for greatness with Joel Embiid.
Brown believes Embiid fits the city of Philadelphia perfectly.
Look at his ability to interact with the fans of Philadelphia. He will stalk somebody down and bat a shot in transition, he will pound, pound, drop-step and have a man’s finish at the rim. He will do something that’s physical, he will do something that’s highly competitive and turn around and give a muscle flex or engage the crowd … He’s a natural fit for our city.