Early Signs Between Knicks, James Wiseman Are Hard to Ignore

The New York Knicks' initial signing of James Wiseman made a ton of sense given their center need. That said, at the time, Wiseman felt like a simple dart throw given his rocky NBA journey and the fact that he was brought in as part of a large tryout group.

However, the days following have provided a clearer picture of where Wiseman stands as he joins New York—and the prognosis is quite promising.

James Wiseman looks like a strong contender to make Knicks' roster

First, in the immediate fallout of the Wiseman addition, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported on how that agreement came about.

Fischer noted this wasn't out of the blue; instead, Wiseman had been working out with the team prior to the deal. Additionally, Fischer relayed that Wiseman is "a favorite" of Mike Brown from their Warriors days, and there's "a real chance" the center "beats out everybody else of this group to make the final roster."

This is pretty juicy intel that shows New York clearly likes Wiseman more than just as a body for camp. It also positions Wiseman as a potential frontrunner entering the preseason to win the final roster spot, assuming the Knicks only sign one of the five veterans they're trying out.

But even more notable than Ficher's insight is what transpired on the first day of official training camp practices. At the conclusion of New York's workout session, Brown was captured giving Wiseman some obvious coaching before the two shared a handshake.

Mike Brown pulls aside James Wiseman after the Knicks' practice session pic.twitter.com/lmYYyxNhh7
— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) September 29, 2026

It's unknown what Brown was instructing Wiseman on, but it looks as though it's something he deeply cares about. Taking the time to make sure a player is briefed on something important and advised on how to implement it is an undeniable sign of being invested in that player's success.

Brown even added to that sentiment by calling Wiseman a "fantastic human being" in his post-practice comments, which confirms the affinity the two have.

Mike Brown on being back with James Wiseman: "Fantastic human being. It's good to see him in the gym."
— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) September 29, 2026

Add all of this up, and Wiseman appears to have a serious shot at making the roster. He has an obvious fan in Brown, who likely has some say on personnel after showing he knows what it takes to win a title. He's also got some familiarity with his pre-signing workouts, which could give him an edge over fresher newcomers trying to perform at practice and learn the system all at the same time.

That's not even to mention that Wiseman provides the biggest upside for the Knicks of anyone else they're trying out. Drew Eubanks is a suitable third center, but nothing more. Tony Bradley is a step down from Eubanks. Camp invite wings Bruce Brown Jr. and Ochai Agbaji are intriguing, but New York already has plenty, so a signing there is difficult to see.

Meanwhile, Wiseman has a wide range of exciting possibilities if he stays healthy, including being a starting-level player. His ability to potentially be a longer-term piece at a position that's in flux certainly adds to his appeal over the wings and even the other bigs he's in contention with.

Of course, Wiseman has internal hurdles he must clear this preseason before the Knicks fully commit. While his potential is alluring, he also needs to show some ability to help in the short term, which has been a struggle for him in recent years. At least partially to blame for that are his constant injury troubles, which are another possible obstacle that could get in the way of a longer stay in the Big Apple.

Still, Wiseman has the tools to prove he's worth sticking around. The fact there's already promising indications around the start to his Knicks tenure hints this could turn out to be another tryout that pays off for New York.

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