Report: Knicks Add Another Assistant Coach

Shortly after extending top man Tom Thibodeau, the New York Knicks reportedly hired another coach to his staff.

Jan 22, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns center JaVale McGee (00) talks with assistant coach Mark Bryant against the Indiana Pacers at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Knicks reportedly had a run on coach contracts on Wednesday.

Shortly after they reportedly re-upped with top man Tom Thibodeau with a three-year extension, the Knicks, according to another report from SNY's Ian Begley, added longtime NBA center Mark Bryant to their bench as an assistant coach. Bryant, a Seton Hall alum and New Jersey native, spent last season on the Detroit Pistons' bench under Monty Williams.

The former Pirate has been a sideline staple since 2004, serving as an assistant on the staffs of Dallas, Orlando, Seattle/Oklahoma City, Phoenix, and Detroit. Coming to the Knicks reunites him with Mikal Bridges, as the two shared several seasons as Suns in the desert. That tenure included an appearance in the 2021 NBA Finals, where they fell to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Begley hints, however, that Bryant was brought about with his frontcourt expertise in mind, labeling him "one of the top big man coaches in the NBA." The Knicks are certainly thirsty for interior help after the departure of Isaiah Hartenstein.

Tenured New Yorker Mitchell Robinson is expected to reprise his role as the primary five but depth is sorely lacking. The backup spots are currently headlined by veteran Jericho Sims, who has yet to establish a lasting role in the Knicks' rotation, and Ariel Hukporti, a two-way contract earner and the 58th/final pick of the 2024 NBA Draft.

With that in mind, Bryant was partly responsible for some of the fleeting silver linings for the woebegone Pistons: under his watch, Detroit allowed the fourth-fewest offensive rebounds per game (9.6) and he helped turn homegrown interior force Jalen Duren into a walking double-double, as the second-year man averaged 13.8 points and 11.6 rebounds.

Prior to embarking upon his coaching career, Bryant spent 15 seasons (1988-2003) on the floors of 10 different NBA teams after joining the Association as the 21st pick of the 1988 draft. His best effort came in 1996-97, as he averaged 9.3 points and 5.2 rebounds for the Phoenix Suns.

Bryant becomes the second assistant to join the Knicks' bench alongside Maurice Cheeks.

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