Can Nerlens Noel surpass recent No. 6 picks?

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People around the NBA often say that a draft should be judged a few years down the line. Take some time to see which players developed, which didn’t and if any teams got bargains with their selections.

The Sixers acquired Nerlens Noel in a draft-day trade with New Orleans back in June. Noel will definitely require some time to evaluate with the No. 6 overall pick still recovering from surgery for a torn ACL.

With that said, let’s take a look at the No. 6 overall selections from the past 10 seasons and how their careers panned out in the league.

2003, Chris Kaman, Los Angeles Clippers
We start with Chris Kaman, who the Clippers drafted with the sixth pick in 2003. The seven-footer has averaged 11.8 points and 8.0 rebounds a game over the past decade. Kaman has suffered a number of injury-plagued seasons, although he has started 510 of the 606 career games he has played in during his tenure in the league.

2004, Josh Childress, Atlanta Hawks
Josh Childress was somewhat productive in his first four years with the Hawks. He posted averages of 10.1, 10.0, 13.0 and 11.8 points per game in those seasons.

After that stint with the Hawks, Childress (6-8, 220) left the NBA when he signed a three-year, $20 million deal to play in Greece. He later returned to the NBA with the Phoenix Suns only to see his playing time and production decrease significantly. The swingman was cut by the Brooklyn Nets last season and has yet to catch on with another team.

2005, Martell Webster, Portland Trail Blazers
Webster has proven to be an even bigger disappointment than Childress at No. 6. Portland selected the 6-foot-7, 235-pound forward directly out of high school.

Webster has played on three different teams in eight seasons and only averaged double digits in points twice.

2006, Brandon Roy, Portland Trail Blazers
Roy was the kind of player any franchise hopes for when picking that high in the draft. Roy (6-6, 229) was a franchise player in every sense, as he was named Rookie of the Year and made three All-Star teams.

Unfortunately for the guard, he had his career cut short by chronic knee problems.

2007, Yi Jianlian, Milwaukee Bucks
Jianlian ended up with the Bucks with the sixth overall pick in ’07 in the classic case of a “you can’t teach height” selection.

The seven-footer from China didn’t have the talent or presence to be a dominant post player. He bounced around to four different teams in five NBA seasons before going back to play in his homeland.

Jianlian averaged 7.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, while he never was able to follow in Yao Ming’s footsteps.

2008, Danilo Gallinari, New York Knicks
The Knicks grabbed Gallinari in this particular draft with hopes that the Italian would become the league’s next sharpshooting foreign star.

Gallinari (6-10, 225) established himself with the Knicks before being traded to the Denver Nuggets in the Carmelo Anthony trade.

He may not be the force that a team seeks with a pick that high. However, career averages of 14.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game are a bonus to any squad.

2009, Jonny Flynn, Minnesota Timberwolves
Flynn was a true example of here today, gone tomorrow.

The point guard played well during his rookie season out of Syracuse. Flynn (6-0, 185) likely had the best game of his career when he scored 29 points in a Timberwolves’ OT win over the Sixers on Jan. 18, 2010.

Flynn would go on to make the All-Rookie second team, but offseason hip surgery has hindered him ever since. He was traded twice and has recently been fighting to secure a roster spot with clubs.

2010, Ekpe Udoh, Golden State Warriors
Udoh has largely been a disappointment since the Warriors took him with the sixth overall pick a few years ago. While his shot blocking has been solid (1.4 blocks per game), the rest of Udoh’s game has been sorely lacking.

Udoh now fights for playing time in the Bucks’ crowded frontcourt after the Warriors traded him in 2012.

2011, Jan Vesely, Washington Wizards
Vesely has all the physical tools at 6-11, 240 pounds. He’s still adapting to the speed and physicality of the NBA game.

The Czech forward averaged a just 2.5 points and 2.4 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per game last season for the Wizards.

2012, Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
Lillard could prove to be the best of this bunch. The prized point guard was sensational in his first NBA season, averaging 19.0 points and 6.5 assists a night on his way to being named Rookie of the Year.

Overall, the No. 6 pick in recent drafts has churned out a combination of busts, serviceable veterans and stars.

Noel is starting in an undesirable position by dealing with rehab from his knee surgery. Still, the Sixers hope that is only a small bump in the road for the big man and his high-top fade.

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