On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks celebrated their first NBA championship in 53 years by handing assistant coaches empty ring boxes and tricking employees with a fake ring email that doubled as a phishing test.
The celebration of New York’s long-awaited title quickly ran into organizational turbulence.
Knicks Assistants Receive Empty Boxes on Banner Night
During the pregame ceremony broadcast nationally on NBC and Peacock, which drew 7.7 million viewers and peaked at 9.1 million, the assistant coaches of the world champion New York Knicks were presented with black boxes during the banner raising. The boxes contained no rings.
Team sources described the assistants’ reactions to the empty boxes as ranging from genuine anger to annoyance. The Athletic received conflicting reports regarding whether head coach Mike Brown received his ring during the ceremony.
The Knicks' assistant coaches did not receive their championship rings during Tuesday's ceremony, despite being handed ring boxes, according to league sources.Many longtime employees at Madison Square Garden will not receive rings at all, per team sources.Those employees got… pic.twitter.com/2OB1vC9cAE
Madison Square Garden Staff Tricked by Phishing Simulation
While the coaching staff waits for their actual jewelry, longtime employees on the Madison Square Garden business operations side discovered they would not receive championship rings at all. Instead of keepsakes, staff members received an email in late September that dangled the prospect of complimentary rings.
Congratulations, your Employee Championship Ring is here, (Employee name), this one is on the house. MSG is issuing a complimentary employee championship ring. The same jeweler, the same craftsmanship, personalized with your name. No cost to you. There are two designs to choose from: Championship Gold and Garden Classic. Reserve the one you want below.
New York Knicks, via The Athletic
The message was a simulation. Multiple team sources confirmed to The Athletic that the email functioned as an internal phishing test designed by the organization to catch employees who clicked suspicious links. Workers who selected a design were greeted not with a jewelry order form, but with a mandatory cybersecurity class intended to address James Dolan’s growing cybersecurity concerns.
Backlash Mounts Across the Sports World
The handling of the franchise’s ring rollout drew sharp public criticism. Observers across social media condemned the actions of James Dolan, executive chairman of MSG Sports and the Knicks’ governor, as well as team management. Yet when asked about the ring distributions and exclusions, an MSG Sports spokesperson told The Athletic, We are not disclosing anything about the rings.
The team opened its title defense on the floor against the Philadelphia 76ers before a record audience on NBC and Peacock, ultimately falling 106-100. As the Knicks prepare to visit the Boston Celtics at TD Garden, off-court attention is fixed on the front office’s management of personnel and staff rewards, following 53 seasons without an NBA title.
Oh my god https://t.co/KoRd1Pfn0E
More on Madison Square Garden
This is cartoon villain-level evil. https://t.co/4IVU3iv2MH pic.twitter.com/djNstJL0hV
This is legitimately cruel. https://t.co/BcRT614VUb
Jim Dolan getting even more armor to act like a complete buffoon is easily the worst aspect of the Knicks championship. https://t.co/Rgqyjs99Ot
It's almost impressive that the Knicks just provided the greatest New York sports memory ever and James Dolan will still be forever reviled https://t.co/utrszkPU6l