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Brett Brown: 'Lots Of Benefits To Ben Simmons Playing This Year'

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The debut of Ben Simmons can't come soon enough.

The Philadelphia 76ers, winners of 10 of their last 13 games, are flying up the eastern conference standings, and fans are salivating at the idea of adding the No. 1 overall pick to Joel Embiid and the rest of their roster.

Related: Ben Simmons' Scan Shows No Setbacks

Simmons, who suffered a fracture of the fifth metatarsal bone of his right foot on the final day of training camp, is reportedly expected to return around the all-star break.

"Everything is completely driven by doctors, it's completely driven by the responsible decision for his health," Brown told Chris Carlin and Ike Reese on Thursday's 94WIP Carlin & Reese Show. "If all things were equal and everybody felt like there was zero risk, then I think to get some NBA games under his belt is a good thing. I think it would help him. I think he would get into the NBA scene next year in a much quicker way.

Listen: Brett Brown on the 94WIP Carlin & Reese

 

"I think there's lot of benefits, but it's all governed with the obvious -- if there's one hint of anything that's not smart then it's not going to happen and it won't even be close. That rules the day, that's how we see it. We've had a lot of practice, unfortunately, dealing with high draft picks that have been injured."

94WIP's Howard Eskin confirmed the report on Thursday, originally by ESPN, that Simmons is targeting a late-February return.

 

Sixers' play-by-play TV announcer Marc Zumoff has a similar read on the situation.

As for the 55-year-old Brown, after a complete rebuild and miserable 47-199 record over his first three year's as head coach, he is finally reaping the benefits. He's even hearing some "coach of the year" murmurs.

"You see a vibe in the streets," Brown said of the excitement level in Philly for the Sixers. "I go into a Starbucks, or a shopping center, or a supermarket you just bump into people and you can feel the excitement. We've all grown and gone through so much over the past three and a half years, I think we're all starting to see a little daylight."

Related: 5 Reasons The 76ers Will Make The Playoffs

The excitement is not just in the streets, but it has spilled over to social media with #RaiseTheCat.

"I'd like to say it's an Australian thing, but it isn't," Brown said of the #RaiseThatCat phenomenon. "I don't know, I really don't know. I'm a social media misfit. I'm told it's blown up though. I'm told it's become some sort of a viral fad. I do find it quite funny."

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