Knicks Have a Secret Weapon Who Could Help Unlock James Wiseman

The Knicks have an interesting training camp brewing as the preseason marches on. It's a mixed bag of a former champion (Bruce Brown), a former lottery pick (Ochai Agbaji), a former thorn in New York's side (Tony Bradley), a nomadic veteran (Drew Eubanks) and a former No. 2 overall draft choice (James Wiseman).

New York's most pressing need is for an additional big man and after two preseason games it seems that Wiseman has an upper hand in securing a roster spot. That sentiment is shared by ESPN's Bobby Marks.

"I would rather take a flyer on a player like that, 24, 25 who showed potential here," Marks said over the weekend. "Because at the end of the day, for teams that have high payroll, you've got to kind of find those diamonds in the rough.”

We have all heard about Wiseman’s relationship with coach Mike Brown, who was an assistant with Golden State during the 6-foot-11 big man's first two seasons. But it might be Wiseman’s previous experience with seldom-mentioned assistant coach Mark Bryant that could help him blossom if he sticks around in the Big Apple as the third-string center.

Mark Bryant could be instrumental to Knicks' James Wiseman experiment

It was with the 2023-24 Pistons, who set an NBA record with 28 consecutive regular season losses, that Wiseman enjoyed his most impactful basketball, where he averaged 12.7 points and 8.1 rebounds in 24 games. That stretch happened to coincide with Bryant's, who is entering his third season as the Knicks big man's coach, time in the Motor City.

"He taught me the fundamentals of the game," the youngster told The Athletic's James Edwards in April of 2024. "He wanted me to go out there and play fundamentally sound."

Bryant, who was a journeyman bruiser in his day, has been hailed as a "big man whisperer." Over the years, he’s worked with Orlando's Dwight Howard, Steven Adams, Serge Ibaka and Damatos Sabonis in Oklahoma City, DeAndre Ayton in Phoenix, and Jalen Duran with Detroit.

Mark Bryant speaks — Nov 12, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks Assistant Coach Mark Bryant (l), talks with center Mitchell Robinson (23) during pregame warmups prior to the game against the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Glen Ridge, New Jersey native played collegiately at Seton Hall and was a first-round pick by Portland after a distinguishing four-year run for coach P.J. Carlesimo. Bryant didn’t live up to expectations, but he hung around for fifteen seasons, mostly as a steady reserve.

Over the course of 797 games with ten different teams, Bryant averaged 5.4 points and 4.7 rebounds. Soon after his career came to an end in 2003, Bryant entered the ranks as a coach on Don Nelson's staff in Dallas.

This season will mark Bryant’s 38th in the NBA as a player or coach over of the past 39 seasons. It's possible that his tutelage could be as instrumental in Wiseman's redemption act as Casey Smith's medical team helping keep Wiseman upright, assuming he does earn his way on the team.

Knicks bigs coach Mark Bryant calls over James Wiseman during a timeout midway first preseason game

Wiseman showing some frontcourt athleticism Knicks looking for with Mitchell Robinson gone pic.twitter.com/Md5XLDwuAY
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) October 6, 2026

The physical tools are there to be a rotational big man. His size and athleticism were always tantalizing traits, but Wiseman's often been prone to mistakes and the injury bug, including a torn meniscus and Achilles. His skills were raw coming out of college and he hasn't played basketball consistently in more than two years.

That said, the presence of another familiar face in Bryant—who'd be able to work closely with him while Brown chips in what he can while managing the entire team and championship aspirations—could be massive for Wiseman getting back to a consistent rotation player.

Going from just five NBA appearances in two seasons to potentially playing nightly for the defending champs is a huge jump, but between his clear talent and the connections he has on this staff, that sets up Wiseman to bounce back in a big way.

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