Fresh off a 30-hour flight, Knight wants in straight away

He's only just stepped off a plane after a 30-hour journey from the United States, but Brandon Knight has every intention of putting his hand up to face the South East Melbourne Phoenix on Friday night.

Speaking to the media on his arrival in Perth on Wednesday, the former NBA star said he'd been keeping a close eye on his new side since signing a little over a fortnight ago, and planned to "hit the ground running".

He even caught Elijah Pepper's brilliant buzzer-beater on the NBA App, and wished he'd been there to see it.

"I've got to get some physicals done," Knight said when quizzed on a potential debut date.

"I'm sure I'll be eager to want to play tonight if we had a game, even after a 30-hour trip.

"It'll be up to the staff and when they think it's feasible. But like I said, I'm excited to be here, and hopefully sooner than later."

Wildcats GM Danny Mills had already indicated Knight would likely sit out Friday's game, giving him time to recover from the trip and settle in. But the import's eagerness will surely give John Rillie and his coaching staff something to think about.

And Pepper's heroics were exactly the kind of moment Knight is itching to be part of.

"That's what's thrilling, man. I'm like, I want to be there hugging him [Pepper], you know? I want to be there hugging him and celebrating with him," Knight said.

"Just watching it, I was excited. So to be here and to be in the trenches with the guys and fighting with the guys, and to have outcomes like that, that's why you play the game, and that's why you train so hard.

"That's why you come together for things like that, and moments that'll live forever in his mind and with his kids or his family, and then the people that are at the games as well."

The former NBA talent has followed the Wildcats' start to the season from afar, and a string of tight contests has only sharpened his appetite.

"I've been watching a lot of the games and I've been seeing a lot of the excitement, not just from last year, but specifically from this year," he said.

"We've had some really close games, some good games, and I'm like, I can't wait to be just a part of the atmosphere, part of the environment, and get out there and fight with the guys."

Joining a group that has already completed a full pre-season together, Knight knows it may take time to find his place. He's hopeful the transition will be a quick one, but he's ready if it isn't.

"I hope I can come in and things just click as if I've been here for two years, or for the entire pre-season," he said.

"But if, you know, rocks or bumps hit, I'm prepared and ready for that as well."

Knight's first taste of Perth came two years ago, when he visited for Hoopfest and Basketball Without Borders. He loved the atmosphere at the games he attended, but says never imagined he'd one day return in a Wildcats singlet.

"I had no clue that I would end up right back in the exact place I came," he said.

"It's been a long time coming. God has a way of working things out."

The Wildcats have been searching for an answer at point guard since Bryce Cotton's departure, and Knight could be the missing piece of the puzzle. He's ready to do whatever it takes to fill that role.

"I'm here to serve these guys. I'm here to serve the vision that's already in place," he said.

"There's a goal to want to be a really successful team in this League and to compete for a championship."

The 34-year-old was the eighth pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and played 451 NBA games across nine seasons, averaging 14 points. He has since played in Puerto Rico and Greece, winning MVP of the Puerto Rican league in 2023.

The Wildcats host the Phoenix on Friday from 9.30pm AEST, live on ESPN.