Bryant was born in Charlotte, North Carolina and overcame adversity to excel in competitive sports despite losing both legs in a train accident at the age of ten. Despite this life-altering event, he maintained a positive mindset and actively participated in sports. In 1964, he joined the West Mecklenburg High School wrestling team, where he was mentored by Coach Gene Abercrombie. Coach Abercrombie enlisted the help of collegiate coaches Dr. Sam Barnes from UNC-Chapel Hill and Charlie Parker from Davidson College to provide specialized training and techniques that would enable Bryant to wrestle as a double amputee.

Throughout high school, Bryant served as the team captain for three years. In 1965, during his sophomore year, he won the North Carolina State championship at 98 lbs. and was voted Most Outstanding Wrestler. He repeated as state champion at West Mecklenburg in 1966. For his senior year, he transferred to Harding High. In his senior year in 1967, Bryant placed second in the state championship. Following his graduation, he attended UNC-Charlotte and graduated in 1975.

In 1970, Bryant began playing basketball as a founding member of the Carolina Tarwheels wheelchair basketball team. He helped establish the Carolina Wheelchair Basketball Conference two years later, where he served as the conference's first president from 1972 to 1974. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Bryant proved himself to be one of the fastest and strongest athletes in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA), representing both the Carolina Tarwheels and the Music City Lightning. He earned a total of 17 All-Conference and All-Tournament awards from 1972 to 1985 and participated in eight National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament (NWBT) Final Fours. In 1978 Bryant helped Music City secure the NWBT title. In 1978 he also represented the USA at the Para Pan-American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he won a gold medal.

Bryant's contributions to wheelchair basketball extended beyond his playing career. He excelled as a coach, leading the Division II Charlotte Hornets to five Final Four appearances (1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2005) and guiding them to National Championships in 1995 and 1996. He also coached the Division III Charlotte Hornets, leading them to consecutive Division III Championships in 1999 and 2000. In addition to his coaching roles, Bryant held several leadership positions within the NWBA. He served as the Division III Chairman from 1996 to 1998, Division III Commissioner from 1998 to 2001, NWBA Commissioner from 2003 to 2011, NWBA President from 2008 to 2012, and Americas Zone President of the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation from 2011 to 2015. Bryant was inducted into the National Wheelchair Basketball Association Hall of Fame in 2008. The following year, in 2009, he received the Medal of Courage from the North Carolina Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Prior to retiring, Bryant worked for New Horizons Computer Learning. He and his wife, Marlene, have eight children, all four of their sons excelling in high school wrestling.