Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Jun 13, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks owner James Dolan and the players celebrate after defeating the San Antonio Spurs during game five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center.
The New York Knicks and owner James Dolan are reportedly set to right a wrong after allegedly tricking team employees into thinking they’d receive an NBA championship ring.
The fake phishing scheme, which Dolan and the Knicks now claim was unintentional, asked employees if they wanted to claim an NBA championship ring after the team won it all last season, only to make them attend a cybersecurity class if they did so.
Understandably, that news didn’t sit well with Knicks fans or NBA fans as a whole. Both called out the organization for what they considered scummy business practices.
Most organizations do this for the employees, sick and twisted thing to do to people
— Silly Little Guy (@Czar_Of_Silly) October 23, 2026
Now, the organization claims it will hand out an additional 275 championship rings that are worth over $3.7 million in total.
New York Knicks Set To Right A Wrong With Championship Rings
In a statement from a Madison Square Garden spokesperson, the organization claimed that it was all one big misunderstanding.
“The company had previously sent out an email to its corporate team as a simulation of a phishing attack designed to strengthen our security against hackers,” the statement read. MSG was recently hacked and extorted using an employee login and password obtained through a similar phishing attack. Using the rings as a lure to gain employees’ attention was an unfortunate mistake.
“The company is gifting more than 275 championship rings and jewelry to players, coaches, employees, and other members of the Knicks family, worth more than $3.7 million, in recognition of their contributions and celebrating this achievement.”
So ultimately, it sounds like the Knicks and Dolan are going to do the right thing. But it sure sounds as if they needed to be pressured into doing so.