MCW on Nerlens Noel: "I'm definitely going to do everything I can to help him out"
(Times staff / ERIC HARTLINE) |
Nerlens Noel thinks Michael
Carter-Williams can aid his development next season.
Noel, the 76ers center, is
coming off a rookie season in which he missed all 82 games while rehabbing his
surgically repaired left knee. Carter-Williams is fresh off a rookie campaign
in which he put up the type of numbers that will likely garner a Rookie of the
Year award.
Noel and Carter-Williams, a
pair of Boston-area kids, played for the same AAU team in their youth, so they
won’t have to develop a camaraderie. Instead, they have to pick up where they
left off.
“I think Michael will
definitely be able to help me as I come back,” Noel said April 17, on the team’s
breakup day following its season finale. “(He’s been) just showing me a couple
little things you need to be on the court experiencing.”
The biggest thing for Noel, a
6-11, 230-pounder, is to avoid feeling the pressure of having to live up to
Carter-Williams’ big first season as a pro. He led all rookies in points,
assists, rebounds and steals and is considered a heavy favorite to win Rookie
of the Year. Carter-Williams said his season “takes pressure” off Noel.
“He’s coming in and he’s going
to play his part,” Carter-Williams said of Noel. “I’m definitely going to do
everything I can to help him out. A big part of his game is off his teammates,
especially off me. He has to keep developing his game, I’ll help him out along
the way. He’s not going to have too much pressure. He’s going to go in there,
play some defense and do the things he needs to do (like) rebound the ball and
score the ball. He’ll be great. He’ll be fine.”
Labels: Michael Carter-Williams, Nerlens Noel, offseason
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