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Zhaire Smith dresses for Sixers-Cavaliers game after being recalled from Delaware Blue Coats

This will mark the first time the 76ers rookie will be dressed and available for an NBA game.

The Sixers' Zhaire Smith, left, sits after practice at the Sixers Training Complex in Camden, N.J., on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019.
The Sixers' Zhaire Smith, left, sits after practice at the Sixers Training Complex in Camden, N.J., on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019.Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer
    by Keith Pompey
    Updated 
    Published 

Zhaire Smith was available for Tuesday night’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Wells Fargo Center.

This marked the first time the 76ers rookie dressed and was available for an NBA game.

Smith was recalled from the Delaware Blue Coats around 10 a.m. Tuesday while getting ready to board a flight to Milwaukee with his Blue Coats teammates for Tuesday night’s G-League game against the Wisconsin Herd. The Blue Coats are the Sixers’ G-League affiliate.

Smith was expected to return in December after being sidelined with an acute Jones fracture in his left foot. However, he remained out due to the negative effects from an allergic reaction to something he ate back in September.

» READ MORE: Brett Brown ‘reminded how athletic he is’ as Zhaire Smith returns to practice

Sixers coach Brett Brown said a couple of weeks ago that he didn’t expect Smith to play for the Sixers this season. But did not see any action Tuesday night. Smith’s call-up is more about getting experience than helping the team for a playoff-seeding push.

“He’s still is going to end or conclude the G-League season,” Brown said. “He will be with them and see that season through. Anything we can get from Zhaire will be an additional bonus. It’s not anything I’m counting on. If it happens, it happens. I’m not expecting it at all.

“It’s not like this sneaky drive to shove him into a playoff situation … Could it happen? Who knows.”

Smith made his G-League debut on March 1 in a road game against the Maine Red Claws. He averaged 5.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in four G-League games.

The Phoenix Suns selected him with the 16th overall pick in the June draft. He was immediately traded to the Sixers along with the Miami Heat’s unprotected 2021 first-round pick for Mikal Bridges. The Sixers had selected Bridges out of Villanova with the No. 10 pick. The Sixers liked Smith all along, just not at the 10th spot.

He averaged 11.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 blocks and 1.1 steals as a power forward in his lone season at Texas Tech. He was named to the all-Big 12 newcomer team and to the conference’s all-defensive team.