TORONTO -- Alex Poythress always knew an opportunity would come.
The Savannah, Ga. native, who has spent the entire season with Ft. Wayne of the NBA's D-League, signed with the Sixers on Sunday for the remainder of the season in pursuant to the NBA's roster hardship exception (see story).
"He will do pretty much what every player we've brought in 24-hours before we play a game: you shake his hand, introduce yourself and then put him immediately into a game," said Sixers coach Brett Brown. "We've done that an abundance of time and he'll be no different."
Poythress is expected to make his NBA debut off the bench tonight for the Sixers when they wrap up a two-game road trip in Toronto against the Raptors.
The 23-year-old forward started 45 games for the Mad Ants this season, averaging 19 points, seven rebounds and two assists. Poythress shot 57 percent from the field and 40 percent from beyond the arc and was a 2017 NBA D-League All-Star participant.
"It expanded my game," Poythress said of his D-League experience. "I really started shooting the ball well, just being more aggressive out there, just confidence, everything -- it's helped me a lot.
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"That's what everybody does: try to grind, try to work, never stop working and just try to wait for the opportunity, 'cause it'll come at some point."
The 6-foot-7, 238-pound University of Kentucky product signed a minimum-salary contract with the Indiana Pacers last summer, but was released in October.
Poythress appeared in 112 career games with the Wildcats, averaging nine points, five rebounds and one assist over his four-year career, while shooting 55 percent from the field.
He helped lead Kentucky to the NCAA Tournament National Finals in 2014.
Despite joining a new club, there are plenty of familiar faces in the Philly room for Poythress who counts Shawn Long, Nik Stauskas and Joel Embiid as friends.
With five games remaining in the regular season, Poythress aims to keep things simple in his first NBA action.
"Rebounding, bring the energy, playing defense," he said. "Just doing everything. Trying to be a spark out there."
