Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown acknowledged the talent of his recent couple of No. 1 overall selection tops that of recent picks by the organization. Brown noted Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz are “completely” better equipped to be more successful than centers Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel are at the moment, according to Tom Moore of the Bucks County Courier Times.
“Everyone matures at different stages,” Brown said.
Simmons and Fultz have yet to play an NBA game, but have shown flashes of brilliance during the Summer League.
Okafor has been the victim of a logjam at his position, which has rendered him unable to get the extensive minutes he needs to flourish in the league. His lack of lateral movement and defensive presence have been made evident during his two seasons in the league, something which has played him out of favor with Brown in the past.
Noel was dealt to the Dallas Mavericks last season after suffering injuries to start the 2016-17 campaign. While his intangibles were remarkable, an unpolished offensive game had made him a relative liability on the floor — one that became that much more evident with the arrival of Joel Embiid and his versatile offensive arsenal.
More than maturity, the key has been opportunity — one that both Fultz and Simmons will have this season with proven veterans like J.J. Redick and a more concise roster construction than last season.
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