New go-to guy Brand leads way as Sixers open camp

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Elton Brand wasn't shy in his first practice with the Philadelphia 76ers, swinging a pass on the wing to Kareem Rush before setting up in the post.

"Hey, hey!" the power forward yelled, with arms waving above him, demanding the ball back from Rush before turning and hitting a jumper off the glass for an easy bucket.

Just what the Sixers expect from their new go-to guy.

Granted, it was just fast-break drills without having to face defenders at a practice court at the Bryce Jordan Center on the Penn State campus, where the Sixers opened training camp Tuesday.

But it was a welcome sight for coach Maurice Cheeks following a long summer's wait to get Brand, Rush and the team's other additions ready for a new season with heightened expectations.

"I've known what he can do throughout the years," Cheeks said about Brand. "But being here in my gym is a little different. And I think working with other guys is a little different."

Brand is the centerpiece of Philadelphia's offseason retooling — his blockbuster, $80 million free-agent contract leaves little doubt he's the new face of the franchise.

He's not really a vocal leader. There was good-natured joking with his new teammates on his first day of practice, and some quiet chatter along the sideline with Rush while the two took a break during drills.

Brand wasn't really lighting it up, either, on those crosscourt runs that Cheeks had his team do at the end of the morning session, lagging behind quicker teammates.

"I like to lead by example, and I work hard at it," Brand said. "You know, I'm not the fastest guy, especially with (teammates) Thaddeus Young and Andre Iguodala flying up there, but I'm going to exert my energy and show the guys how to work it."

Any numbers around his nine-year career averages of 20.3 points and 10.2 rebounds will be a boon for Philly, especially after Brand missed all but the final eight games of last season with the Clippers because of an Achilles' tendon injury.

"This is not the first time I've ran up and down, I've done it all summer," Brand said. "The Achilles' felt great, and everything felt great."

Good thing, too, because Cheeks has no plans to abandon the uptempo brand of basketball that helped the Sixers get into the playoffs last season, losing in the first round to Detroit in six games. The goal this year is to become a contender to win the East.