Sixers' Noel motivated by 5 teams' draft snub

Nerlens Noel is a 76er with something to prove.

The 6-foot-11 center is determined to show the top five teams in June's NBA draft - the Cavaliers, Magic, Wizards, Bobcats, and Suns - they made a mistake by not selecting him.

"It drives me to be the great player I want to be," said Noel, who was selected sixth by the Pelicans before being traded to the Sixers. "And being here in Philadelphia, I'm going to keep working hard and just staying focused.

"That's something that's going to make the chip on my shoulder grow that much bigger. Just push me."

By now, most NBA fans know that Noel was expected to go first in the draft. But he dropped to sixth after suffering a season-ending tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during his only season at Kentucky.

Noel isn't expected to play until December at the earliest. The 19-year-old said Sixers fans will find out that he's a hard worker once he hits the court.

"I was raised by my mom [Dorcina], you know, just a real hardworking lady," he said, "and I took after her work ethic."

Noel said other family members also shaped him with their values.

"So I'm just a hard-nosed kid," he said.

He averaged 10.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 4.4 blocked shots while shooting 59 percent from the field in 24 games. He had a school-record 12 blocks against Mississippi.

Free agency. So far, the Sixers have been quiet during the free-agency period. General manager Sam Hinkie said they will be more active in August.

"I have been telling agents around the league that we are more likely to [acquire] players then," he said. "But we are active on a bunch of fronts.

"I don't have anyone in particular in mind that I would announce now. If I did, someone might sign him before we did."

The Sixers also have yet to invite undrafted rookie free agents to training camp.