The future of the Philadelphia 76ers looks extremely bright as they possess two of the best young players in the NBA.

Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid have only been playing together for a short period but have already become one of the most devastating duos in the league.

Their instant connection on the court has been a key reason behind the team's 11-7 record in the Eastern Conference.

If the Sixers continue their winning ways into the new year, Embiid and Simmons could easily feature alongside each other in the All-Star game in Los Angeles in February.

The NBA has been known for having star tandems, both at present and in the past, and the Sixers pair have the ability to go down as one of the best if they remain in Philadelphia together for the majority of their careers.

According to Washington Wizards forward Markieff Morris, they have the ability to emulate a legendary duo.

"I think Embiid and Ben Simmons can be like Penny and Shaq," Morris told the Wizards Tipoff podcast.

He's referring to the successful partnership that Penny Hardaway and Shaquille O'Neal had with the Orlando Magic in the '90s.

At the height of their time in Florida, they reached the NBA Finals in the 1994-95 season but came up short against the Houston Rockets.

If Embiid and Simmons can reach that level of success with the 76ers, it would put the franchise back on the map as they haven't reached the finals since Allen Iverson led them there in 2001.

The Philadelphia pair are different to O'Neal and Hardaway but can be considered a modern-day version.

Like Shaq, Embiid is a seven-footer with rare mobility for his size. He also has a huge personality that draws him attention both on and off the court like the Hall of Famer.

Simmons has a similarity to Hardaway in that he's unusually large for his position. The Aussie is 6'10" but plays at the point guard position.

Penny was a 6'7" guard who wasn't a shooting threat but could get into the lane consistently, much like the youngster.

"Dominance is the thing I'm talking about more than the game. Of course, they've got different games but the dominance is being shown by both of them," Morris said.

One thing the Sixers tandem have been able to do already is make the team a legitimate threat every night and others in the league are taking notice.

"The Sixers, they're on their way," said Morris.

The 76ers will have a chance to lay down another marker and secure arguably their biggest scalp of the season when they take on LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers at home on Monday night.