Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown has revealed that Nerlens Noel is unlikely to play in the NBA this season.

The 19-year-old, who was a first-round pick for the New Orleans Pelicans in this year's Draft before being traded to Philadelphia in the summer, is still recovering from the surgery he underwent on a torn ACL in March.

Brown has now suggested that Noel could be kept away from the court this season to ensure that he suffers no further setbacks.

"I doubt, everybody doubts that he's going to play this year," Brown told reporters. "We don't want to waste this year.

"I think from a skill perspective, it's an opportunity for us to break down his shot, really work on his free throws and start a little bit from ground zero."

Noel declared for the draft after spending just one year at University of Kentucky.