76ers' Noel working on range, hopes to earn All-Star nod this season
The Philadelphia 76ers haven't had a player represent the team in the NBA All-Star Game since point guard Jrue Holiday was selected as a reserve for the Eastern Conference in 2012-13.
Nerlens Noel, entering his second full season in the NBA, is looking to change all that with an enhanced offensive arsenal.
The 21-year-old Kentucky alumnus has spent this offseason getting stronger and improving his mid-range game, working with former Boston Celtics coach John Carroll five days a week in the Newport area, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey.
"We worked hard this summer. I think I'm in a good position to help this team move in the right direction," said Noel, who also mentioned that playing north of the border in February in the All-Star Game is one of his primary goals. "Individually, I think I've worked on the things I've needed to work on."
That includes extending his range to the point where he can be semi-reliable outside of five feet, coming off a year in which he only hit 77 of his 266 attempts (28.9 percent) from beyond that distance.
"I think (an improved shot is) really going to help me as a basketball player overall, especially at (power forward)," Noel said. "(It will) help space the floor with my ability and start hitting the jumper consistently and complement our whole offense. And, you know, just changing my whole game and how effective I am."
After missing his entire 2013-14 campaign with a knee injury, the 6-foot-11 big was finally healthy enough to see the floor this past season, averaging 9.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.9 rejections in 75 outings en route to a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
Joel Embiid will miss his second straight year following surgery on his right foot, meaning Noel will begin the year paired with rookie Jahlil Okafor in the 76ers' frontcourt. The two should complement each other nicely, with Noel providing the defensive intangibles that Okafor has lacked. However, if Noel can keep defenders honest by knocking down his fair share of jumpers, it could benefit the 76ers' offense by freeing up space for Okafor to operate down low.