Philadelphia 76ers rookie forward Ben Simmons, the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NBA draft, suffered a broken right foot in practice on Friday.
The team announced the injury but gave no indication as to how long Simmons will be sidelined.
The 76ers said that Simmons suffered a fracture of the fifth metatarsal bone of his right foot when he rolled his right ankle during the final scrimmage of the team's training camp at Stockton University.
The 76ers statement said, in part, "After receiving an X-ray and MRI of the foot and ankle, the images were reviewed by Sixers Head Physician Dr. Christopher Dodson and Sixers Chief Medical Officer and Co-Chief of Sports Medicine Orthopedics at New York's Mount Sinai Medical Center Dr. Jonathan Glashow. Further medical evaluation and treatment options are being considered at this time and additional updates will be provided when appropriate."
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ESPN.com reported that in most cases, a fracture of the fifth metatarsal is known as a Jones fracture, according to ESPN medical analyst Dr. Mark Adickes. This injury usually requires surgery.
The Sixers begin their preseason schedule against the Boston Celtics in Amherst, Mass., on Tuesday. Coach Brett Brown said this week that both Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor will play in that game. But apparently Simmons, the prized point forward out of LSU, will not.
Besides their poor results in recent years, the 76ers have been plagued by injuries to their top draft picks.
Nerlens Noel sat out his first full season after suffering a torn ACL. Embiid is expected to make his NBA debut Tuesday after missing two seasons with a foot injury.
