Rush, 27, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard, signed a free-agent contract with the 76ers on July 29.

Rush came to Philly, at least in theory, to boost the Sixers' outside shooting, which, at an NBA-worst 31.7 percent last season, left much to be desired.

Rush's younger brother Brandon is a rookie with the Pacers, the team for which Rush played last season. Rush finished the year shooting 39.4 percent from the three.

Prior to his stint with Indiana, Rush played a season in Lithuania, 11/2 with the Charlotte Bobcats, and a little over two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.

While Rush knows the flick of his left wrist is his "calling card," he said he is anxious to showcase an expanded game - something he hasn't done since college.

"I was a scorer in college," Rush said. "Anybody who watched me knew that."

The numbers, while not screaming versatility, echo Rush's sentiment: As a sophomore at Missouri in 2000-01, Rush scored 549 points (21.1 average), with 207 of those coming from treys. One year later, Rush scored 712 points, in 10 more games, with 333 points from beyond the arc.

The Kansas City native was projected as a top 10 pick in the 2002 NBA draft, but fell all the way to the Toronto Raptors, with the 20th pick.

The Raptors immediately traded Rush's rights to the Lakers. "I just haven't found the right spot yet," Rush said. "Somewhere I can show my entire game. Coming out of the draft with the Lakers and Kobe Bryant, it was hard to break in there."

Rush averaged 8.3 points in 21.2 minutes a game last season. When the summer began, Rush said, he wasn't thinking about Philly.

But Rush kept looking at the Sixers' roster and gradually realized it might be the place for him.

"I bring a lot more to the table, but I know my three will be the main thing on the court," said Rush, whose career shooting percentage from beyond the three-point line is 36.0 percent. "Elton [Brand] will get double-teamed, and they need someone who can stretch the court."

Rush spent the 2006-07 season in Lithuania, a season he began in Seattle. "I tore my groin and was out for three months," Rush explained. "Instead of waiting for a call-up, I wanted to get overseas and was offered a great contract . . . I knew once I got myself healthy and into a camp, it wouldn't be a problem making an NBA roster."

Single-game tickets. The Sixers will put all 2008-09 individual-game tickets on sale on Wednesday, Oct. 8, beginning at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased online, at Sixers.com, at the Wachovia Center box office, or by phone at 866-913-9782.