James Wiseman's hopes of making it through training camp and onto the New York Knicks opening night roster have received a boost, with head coach Mike Brown reportedly a fan of the former second overall pick from their time together at the Golden State Warriors.
Wiseman agreed to a training camp deal with the Knicks earlier in the week, and will now battle for a main roster spot with a host of players after the NBA champions also signed John Konchar, Bruce Brown, Ochai Agbaji and Drew Eubanks.
James Wiseman gets major boost with Mike Brown support
From the moment the surprising Wiseman news was reported, there was a sense that at least part of it would have to do with Brown who was a lead assistant at the Warriors during the 6'11" center's first two years in the league.
That's now been confirmed by NBA insider Marc Stein on Sunday night, giving Wiseman a potential advantage as he enters training camp hoping to revive a career that's become reputable for being a major draft bust.
Word is that Brown, furthermore, is indeed a Wiseman fan. The newly crowned champs likewise do appear to have a clear need for a third big man behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond," Stein wrote.
Wiseman has played just five games over the past two seasons with the Indiana Pacers, having suffered a devastating torn achilles during that period. His training camp deal with the Knicks is his first opportunity in the league since being waived by the Pacers in December.
James Wiseman still has tough challenge to earn Knicks roster spot
As much as Brown might be in Wiseman's corner entering training camp, and as much as the Knicks might need a third big man, the 25-year-old still faces an uphill battle to be part of the roster when the franchise raises its championship banner on October 20.
Stein reports that New York will likely only fill one of their two vacant roster spots. That means Wiseman won't just have to beat out the more experienced and proven Eubanks when it comes to the center position, but also prove more worthwhile than all three of Konchar, Brown and Agbaji.
That would suggest it unlikely that Wiseman is part of the opening night roster, but the connection with Brown is undeniable and one not shared by any of the other four players that the Knicks signed this week.
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