Nerlens Noel still mum on 4-4-14 tweet

It seems unlikely that Sixers first round pick Nerlens Noel will suit up in a game this year, but after his tweet a few weeks ago, anything is possible. Credit: Getty Images

In the world of social media that now engulfs us all, this tweet caught everyone’s attention: 4-4-14.

The tweet was recently sent by Nerlens Noel.

Since Noel hasn’t addressed it, it’s still unclear what the tweet actually means. Yet the tweet has been retweeted more than 2,000 times, so people are definitely curious.

In a 76ers season which has spun out of control – 22 losses overall and 17 straight at home – this is news.

On April 4, the Sixers play the Celtics at TD Garden. Noel, the intriguing rookie center acquired by the Sixers last June on draft night, is from the Boston area.

More than a year ago, Noel had surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

Noel has been practicing in 3-on-3 and 4-on-4 drills.

Could the former standout from the University of Kentucky finally make his Sixers debut in Boston? That’s the $64,000 question.

And with such a vague tweet, we’ll just have to wait and see.

There has been no official comment from the Sixers or Noel, but forward Thaddeus Young already sees some promising signs.

“You can look and see that he can be a great player,” Young said. “He’s got all the skills. He’s got the attitude. I’ve participated in some drills against him and we competed hard. I didn’t give him any breaks or back down. He competed great and showed a ton. You can see how athletic and skilled he is. He’s been putting in the time and it’s obvious he wants to be great.”

Noel played just 24 games for the Wildcats, but was still named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year.

Whether he plays his first NBA game on April 4, anytime this season, or next season, Noel will help a struggling franchise. And that’s something worth watching.

“I’ve been very impressed with how he works,” Young said. “Coming off an injury, you want to be confident and you can see all the skills when he’s on the court and working out. I’m personally very excited to see him take that next step whenever it is.”