Em Bryant

Em Bryant

1969 NBA Champion | Former Seattle SuperSonics Assistant | DePaul University Hall of Famer

Em Bryant was born on November 4, 1938, in Chicago, Illinois. He played college basketball for the DePaul Blue Demons men’s basketball team. He was later drafted with the 53rd overall pick in the 7th round of the 1964 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. In his 8 seasons in the NBA, he played for the Knicks under Eddie Donovan, Dick McGuire, and later Red Holzman, the Boston Celtics, where he won a championship under Red Auerbach in 1969, and the Buffalo Braves under Dolph Schayes and later Johnny McCarthy before retiring in 1972.

Bryant was a key member of the executive board of the National Retired Players Association. In 1980, he was inducted into the DePaul Hall of Fame. In 2010, he was inducted into the ChicagoLand Sports Hall of Fame, and he was inducted into the Rucker Professional Basketball Hall of Fame.

Coaching Career

Em Bryant started his coaching career as an assistant coach under Jack Rohan for the Columbia Lions men’s basketball team of Columbia University. In his first and only season as an assistant coach, the team finished with a 7-18 record.

Coach Bryant became an assistant coach under Bill Russell for the Seattle SuperSonics. In his first season as an assistant, the team finished with a 36–46 record, missing the playoffs. The following season, the SuperSonics finished with a 43–39 record, qualifying for the playoffs. They reached the Western Conference semifinals but were eliminated in 6 games (4-2) by the Golden State Warriors, who would later become the 1975 NBA champions.

Notable Players Coached

  • Spencer Haywood
    • 1980 NBA champion
    • 1970 ABA Most Valuable Player
    • 4× NBA All-Star (1972–1975)
    • 1970 ABA All-Star
    • ABA All-Star Game MVP (1970)
    • 2× All-NBA First Team (1972, 1973)
    • 1970 All-ABA First Team
    • 2× All-NBA Second Team (1974, 1975)
    • 1970 ABA Rookie of the Year
    • 1970 ABA All-Rookie First Team
    • 1970 ABA scoring champion
    • 1970 ABA rebounding leader
    • ABA All-Time Team
    • No. 24 retired by Seattle SuperSonics
  • Fred Brown
    • 1979 NBA champion
    • 1976 NBA All-Star
    • No. 32 retired by Seattle SuperSonics
  • Archie Clark
    • 2× NBA All-Star (1968, 1972)
    • 1972 All-NBA Second Team
  • Walt Hazzard (1968 NBA All-Star)
  • John Brisker
    • 2× ABA All-Star (1971, 1972)
    • 1971 All-ABA Second Team
    • 1970 ABA All-Rookie First Team
  • Slick Watts
    • 1976 NBA All-Defensive First Team
    • 1976 NBA assists leader
    • 1976 NBA steals leader
  • Tommy Burleson (1975 NBA All-Rookie First Team)