Ben Simmons likely to debut for Philadelphia 76ers post All-Star break

Australian prodigy Ben Simmons, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 Draft, is expected to make his much-awaited NBA debut for the Philadelphia 76ers shortly after next month's All-Star game in New Orleans, per fresh reports.

Earlier this month, the point forward returned to the court for 5-on-0 practice drills nearly four months after injuring the fifth metatarsal bone of his right foot in a freak incident during the Sixers' pre-season training camp.

On Oct. 4, the Melbourne-born Simmons underwent surgery to repair what was discovered to be a "Jones fracture" in his right foot. At the time, the Sixers ruled that Simmons would need approximately three months to rehabilitate before a potential NBA debut. There were also reports of Philadelphia considering the possibility of resting Simmons for the entire season but the Australian has reportedly recovered sooner than expected.

Ben Simmons Injury Update: Aussie has completely healed, on track for Feb. return

According to ESPN, Simmons' foot has completely healed and "his current rehab will be centred on gradually increasing his conditioning and on-court workload."

The Sixers had previously exercised caution with Joel Embiid, who missed two full seasons with recurring foot injuries before making his debut at the start of the ongoing season. While it’s too early to project the young centre's upside, early signs point to a future superstar-level player in a league sans quality big men.

Several NBA analysts, including hall-of-famer Charles Barkley, are of the opinion that the duo of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid will dominate the league for the next decade or so. Embiid is currently the runaway favourite to win the Rookie of the Year award for his tally of 19.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks from just 25.3 minutes per game. His PER of 23.94 is among the greatest for any rookie in NBA history.

Ben Simmons averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists during his one-and-done collegiate career with LSU Tigers. The NBA All-Star break will last from Feb. 17 through Feb. 23. The Philadelphia 76ers will return to the court on Feb. 24 to host the Washington Wizards. Could that be the day Simmons debuts?