Posted: Wednesday, September 23, 2009, 4:43 PM | 17 comments |
 

Brand: 'I'm excited to be healthy'
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When Elton Brand signed with the Sixers last offseason, he was coming off a season in which he played only eight games due to a ruptured left Achilles tendon.

With the big contract (close to $80 million) came enormous expectations from Sixers’ fans. But Brand was far from himself during his brief stint last season when he appeared in only 28 games after dislocating his right shoulder in mid-December and subsequently undergoing surgery close to two months later.

He conceded today that his left leg was far from 100 percent.

“When I started last season, it wasn’t 100 (percent), it wasn’t there explosion-wise," Brand said during an event to unveil the Sixers' new uniforms. "But now I have the one-leg strength back, I have the two legs to bounce back. I’ve been training here the last two weeks so it feels good.”

Brand and the Sixers are only looking forward with training camp set to begin next week.

“I’m excited to be healthy, I’m excited to add to the team,” Brand admitted. “Two first round (playoff) losses the last two years for a young team is OK, but I was brought in here to go farther than that and that’s my goal and that’s what I’ve been thinking about the entire offseason."
 

Read more in tomorrow's Daily News
Posted by Bob Cooney @ 4:43 PM  Permalink | 17 comments
17
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:30 PM, 09/23/2009
    I'll still pull for them, but this team is going nowhere with this chemistry and this coach.
    — ematusko
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:35 PM, 09/23/2009
    Good to hear from Generic Brand. When is the parade?
    — baabyrrej
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:45 PM, 09/23/2009
    If EB's excited, then I'm excited.
    — ArtMooney
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:45 PM, 09/23/2009
    If EB's excited, then I'm excited.
    — ArtMooney
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:54 PM, 09/23/2009
    I just don't see any way that this Sixer's team can have any success. I'm with ematusko...I'm pulling for them but honestly, I do not see what Stefanski is trying to do here. I don't believe in Tanking a season for a Lottery pick because you could P-Off the basketball gods. At the same time, a half empty building can't work either. Blow this team up and start fresh. Sorry, but I only see 39 wins and a mediocre draft pick in a draft class that only has a few studs. Bad Times.
    — rbecker1963
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:54 PM, 09/23/2009
    I just don't see any way that this Sixer's team can have any success. I'm with ematusko...I'm pulling for them but honestly, I do not see what Stefanski is trying to do here. I don't believe in Tanking a season for a Lottery pick because you could P-Off the basketball gods. At the same time, a half empty building can't work either. Blow this team up and start fresh. Sorry, but I only see 39 wins and a mediocre draft pick in a draft class that only has a few studs. Bad Times.
    — rbecker1963
  • Comment removed.
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:32 PM, 09/23/2009
    Finally Healthy!!!! LOL LOL He gets hurt every year.
    — shnuggleshnee
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:56 PM, 09/23/2009
    the point guard position is a great mystery. The Sixers I think are looking to pick up a point guard later on during the preseason or regular season.
    — Donnie
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:56 PM, 09/23/2009
    the point guard position is a great mystery. The Sixers I think are looking to pick up a point guard later on during the preseason or regular season.
    — Donnie
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:03 PM, 09/23/2009
    Players do get healthy and play better. Some of you guys would have cut Magic Johnson once he broke his leg. He never did much after that, right?
    — person
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:51 AM, 09/24/2009
    First we resign Rodney Carney, then new uniforms and finally a 'healthy' Elton Brand.. Mm, I can just envision the Broad Street Parade.. in 2019
    — Ashburn072
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:56 AM, 09/24/2009
    I'm looking forward to seeing a healthy Brand and the new offense. The PG position is definitely an area of weakness. But our 2/3/4 of Iggy/Young/Brand is pretty solid, and if Smith can play again and Speights continues to grow, they ought to push Sammy D for minutes. We could get as high as a 4 seed this year.
    — FKD215


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About Bob Cooney
Bob Cooney has been at the Daily News for more than 20 years, working in the sports department for the past 15. This is his third season on the Sixers beat. He has covered just about everything, but mostly college basketball, where he was the La Salle beat writer for six seasons. E-mail Bob at cooneyb@phillynews.com and follow him on Twitter.

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