Simmons set for NBA debut with 76ers

LOS ANGELES — Australia's Ben Simmons is a man in a hurry as he prepares to make his long-awaited NBA debut with the Philadelphia 76ers after missing the entirety of his first season through injury.

The 21-year-old point guard from Melbourne is eager to fulfill the lofty expectations that come with being the league's number one overall draft pick in 2016.

"I want to go in and make sure everybody remembers my name," Simmons said recently. "I want to get out there and play where everyone's talking about me."

Philadelphia open the season on Wednesday against the Wizards in Washington.

The 76ers have fallen on hard times but Simmons is feeling optimistic about making them a contender again.

"He is a special talent. He will help them immediately," said fellow Aussie Matthew Dellavedova who plays for the Milwaukee Bucks.

The 1.86 meter (6-foot10) Simmons missed the 2016-17 season after breaking a bone in his right foot.

He rolled his right ankle in the team's final training camp scrimmage. Team doctors said he would be out three to four months but in February he was ruled out for the entire season because the bone was not fully healed.

When the 76ers went out of town last season, Simmons spent the time watching road games on the big screen TV in his bedroom.

"It got frustrating not being able to be out there," he said. "You have people saying things about you, whatever it is, could be negative, positive, but you can't control it. You just have to sit back and wait."