The Knicks officially signed big man Kenny Wooten to a two-way contract on Tuesday, and on Wednesday he was on the practice courts as the team prepares for Thursday's matchup with the Phoenix Suns.
"You see his athleticism," interim head coach Mike Miller said of Wooten on Wednesday. "We saw it during the Summer League, we saw it in the preseason, we saw it in Training Camp. Everybody's aware of what his physical tools are and how he uses them."
RJ Barrett added: "He's a freak. On my visit to Oregon, I (saw) Kenny put tape in his hands, jump and touch the top of the backboard. We had to get a ladder to get the tape down, so he's crazy.
"I was so happy (when he signed his new contract)," Barrett said. "When I heard, I definitely congratulated him. He brings a certain positivity and great energy into a team."
Wooten, who went undrafted out of Oregon, originally signed with the Knicks on an Exhibit 10 contract and was invited to play on the Summer League team.
"It's just like picking up where I was at in Training Camp, coming back with the guys," Wooten said on Wednesday. "Energy is up, everything, it feels great.
"Working for it since Summer League, it felt great, being able to come in and have the staff believe in me, work on my game, and be able to sign a contract was great. It means the world to me. I'm just going to try to continue to come in, get better, and see where it goes from here."
After being waived by the Knicks prior to the regular season, Wooten landed with the team's G League affiliate in Westchester, where he played 24 games, averaging 7.7 points per game on 66 percent shooting, 5.9 rebounds, 3.43 blocks, and 1.2 assists in 24 minutes a game.
Wooten signed a two-year, two-way contract and can be with the Knicks for 24 days between now and the end of the G League regular season.
"I'm trying to work on my all-around game, passing, IQ, shot, dribbling, all of that, really," Wooten explained. "I'm trying to become the ultimate all-around player. I feel like I'm capable of doing it, and it all starts here.
"Grinding in the G League, it's given me a lot of confidence. It's really humbled me, but it's given me a lot of confidence in my game."
Now that the 6-foot-8 forward has made his way onto an NBA roster, the next step is finally seeing game action, something Wooten is prepared for.
Miller has said that Wooten probably won't be with the team on Thursday against Phoenix or Saturday against Philadelphia, but he is still preparing for his first taste of NBA action.
"When I get the call, coach decides, I'll be ready for it," Wooten said. "I'm just going to keep putting in the work until it's time … When my number's called, I'm going to just get ready. I expect to be ready."