Ben Simmons needed advice.Hurting - both physically and emotionally - the Australian phenom craved some reassurance that the Oct. 4 surgery for a Jones fracture of his fifth metatarsal was something he could overcome. So who better to ask about triumphing over similar injury adversity than an NBA MVP and one of the purest scorers in todays game?First guy I did speak to was KD [Kevin Durant], Simmons told media before the 76ers home opener against Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. He had something similar [and] he just said, Listen, get advice from everybody and [youll] be good. Its good to reach out to people like that that have gone through it.Durant, then with Oklahoma City Thunder, suffered the injury to his right foot just before the start of the 2014-15 NBA season, but he required three surgeries in six months before he returned to full health.The Sixers hope that wont be the case with Simmons. Since the injury, there has been much speculation that Simmons may miss the entire season, and just last Friday at Sixers practice head coach Brett Brown intimated that Simmons would return in January - that would mark three months since the injury - but later backtracked on his statement.I was just getting excited about how soon he might be able to come back, Brown said. There is so much speculation and dates as a coach you sort of want to hear what you want to hear at a time. I did mention a January hopeful return. That is premature. [...] That is a coach doing a lot more wishing than receiving instruction. So we will play this out. Everything is on track with his rehabilitation.Simmons, too, maintained he has no return schedule yet. Ill come back when Im ready, he said.Theres no timetable to getting healthy. Im just working hard to get back and as soon as they tell me I can play, Ill get out there.Simmons absence from the Sixers lineup clouded an otherwise optimistic beginning to 2016-17 for a franchise that has struggled in recent years. Center Joel Embiid made his debut against the Thunder, and there is hope that a young core consisting of Simmons, Embiid, Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor could blossom into a force in the Eastern Conference.Simmons feels the team can do well this season.I think we can still be good, he said.Obviously those guys, theyre losing a player, but theyre still players themselves. Theyve still got to go out there [and compete]. Weve got a young team, and I think we can do well.A best-case scenario for Simmons is a January return; in the meantime he is looking at the positive side of things, saying he will use his time on the sidelines to absorb how the NBA game is played and how he can adjust his game to the professional level.Its not the best start to my NBA career, but now Im looking at it as a positive, Simmons said.It gives me time to learn about the game; the systems; offence; defence. Its a good time for me to work on my shooting, plays, everything about the game, and work on [learning] the scouting reports.It gives me time to work on my body, flexibility. Theres a lot of things Im looking at as a positive.Given he wont be cleared to resume basketball activities for some time, Simmons is focused on rehab, and being around the team as much as possible. He says hes at the practice facility daily, and its important to him for his teammates to see him putting in the work coming back from the injury.Im still a part of the team. Im in there every day rehabbing; my teammates see me in there putting in the work and theyre doing the same. The only thing I can do is rehab, and thats what Im willing to do. Jake Barrett Yankees Jersey .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. Masahiro Tanaka Jersey .J. Jefferson has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend. https://www.cheapyankees.com/181g-ben-heller-jersey-yankees.html . After Gasquet beat fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-5, 6-3, Tsonga followed up with a 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2 win against sixth-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin in an all-French match. Phil Rizzuto Jersey . Three came down to the fourth quarter while quarterbacks continued to shine in all four games; so important to the overall quality of the game. Masahiro Tanaka Yankees Jersey . At a news conference Tuesday where it was thought that the fiery Schallibaum may be shown the door after a dismal finish to the Major League Soccer season, team president Joey Saputo said no decision has been made on whether the Swiss Volcano will be back in 2014.Winnipeg Jets head coach Claude Noel says he has no issue with forward Alexander Burmistrov. Following the fourth day of Jets Development Camp at MTS Ice Plex on Thursday afternoon, Noel was questioned on the fact Burmistrovs camp in Russia stated there was a difference of opinion between the 21-year-old and himself. "I like Alexander Burmistrov, Ive said that for two years. Ive liked the way hes played. I would have liked to have seen him do some things to further his career. Hes a smart player, he remains our property. "I really dont have any comment on what somebody else says," the coach continued. "If Alexander had problems with me hes never mentioned it to me. Hes played two years here, hes played a lot of minutes for us in a lot of situations." When asked if Burmistrov would ever wear a Winnipeg Jets jersey again, Noel replied "that will be decided by a lot of factors that I have no control over." As for the final day of Development Camp that concludes Friday, the watchful eyes of Jets fans remain focused on forward Mark Scheifele and defenceman Jacob Trouba. The head coach was asked how much rope he will allow for these two first round picks to earn a spot on the NHL roster. "The amount of rope that youre going to give young players coming in is first of all, youre going to probably allow them to pllay quite a few exhibition games so that they can gather experience as quick as you can.dddddddddddd "For example Trouba came in last year and we were not able to get him into a game which we would have liked, so for him the use of exhibition games would be helpful. Scheifele has played some games here, so they will get every opportunity. "Im used to looking and working with young players, thats kind of how my career has gone so I understand that. I think when you look at a player you have to recognize that yes he looks this way in October but if the player and the coaching staff does their part in trying to help him continue then this guy may become a player in January or February as he gets more experience. You have to look farther than the first day or the first month." 2013 first round draft pick Josh Morrissey is getting his first experience in Winnipeg and tells TSN 1290 its everything he had hoped for and more. "Its been a whirlwind, a lot of fun, learning a lot each day. Its been challenging physically, but its definitely giving me a good indication of how hard the guys in the NHL work. Also just seeing the fans support has been pretty cool." As for all players who will attend Jets training camp in early September, Noel re-iterated "At the end of the day, players determine where they land." ' ' '