Knicks Owner Phishing Scandal Just Ruined Championship Night: Fake Ring Email That Crushed Employees

Companies like to test their employees with emails that might entice them to click. This 'test' seems particularly dark though.

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 their hopes up in late September, when they were sent a fake championship ring offer as part of a phishing test. https://t.co/CitRwUv4bJ

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 23, 2026

So, these people who supported the team all season thought they were being honored for their hard work. They thought the team was giving them a piece of jewelry as a token of that historic season. Not so fast.

One of the most cruel things I've ever heard an organization doing. https://t.co/wR7Bgl05y6

— Brett Taylor (@Brett_A_Taylor) October 23, 2026

It really was nasty. There is a reason for security, of course. This was just insulting to people who worked very hard. 

@TheAthletic Don’t let the Knicks winning the championship make you forget James Dolan is a terrible person and owner

— Luka Duka (@lucas561) October 23, 2026

It seems like all the people running the organization are pretty disgusting, actually. 

James Dolan won the title and called a crisis PR firm for an emergency strategy meeting to come up with new ways to demonstrate that he is still Evil

— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) October 23, 2026

Well, at least he succeeded.

James Dolan is determined to kill every good vibe around this team, and bring every piece of bad karma their way. This is just utterly despicable. He makes it so hard to want good things for the Knicks because he has such a long history of treating people so poorly.

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 23, 2026

This is one of the rare occasions Jemele is right. Even a broken clock, etc.

You thought you knew how petty James Dolan was. You were wrong. “Seven league sources, all speaking on condition of anonymity so they could talk freely about a sensitive matter, said the Knicks assistant coaches did not get rings on banner night. Two of those sources told The Athletic that the assistants learned earlier Tuesday that they would not be getting their rings that evening, which came as no surprise because they had not yet been fitted for one and that boxes without their rings were a late addition to the ceremony.” “Team sources described the assistants’ reactions to not getting rings ranging from genuine anger to annoyance.” “The Athletic received conflicting information about whether head coach Mike Brown received his ring on Tuesday and could not immediately verify if he got one.” “NBA commissioner Adam Silver was seated in a chair on the court, but at the opposite end from Breen and far from the table where the rings were kept. Silver typically addresses the home crowd on ring night and either assists in handing out rings or at least shakes the hand of each player immediately after he gets a ring. But on Tuesday, Silver did not speak. His administration has long been at odds with Knicks and Madison Square Garden owner James Dolan.“ “Typically, most employees for NBA teams receive rings, even if they are not as fancy and expensive as the ones the players receive. Those Madison Square Garden employees got their hopes up at the end of September when the Knicks sent an email to a long list of employees, which gave recipients a first glimpse at their would-be championship rings. Atop the email, a copy of which The Athletic has obtained, was a graphic of two differently styled rings….But the email was a fake-out, a phishing test Madison Square Garden sent to see if those employees would click, multiple team sources said. Those who did click the link at the bottom of the message did not get to choose any jewelry; instead, they were forced to attend a mandatory cybersecurity class to help satisfy some of Dolan’s growing cybersecurity concerns.”

— THE GARDEN IS ROCKING (@MSG_Rocking) October 23, 2026

Oh, also, the assistant coaches didn't get their rings either. Really a stand up organization. 

James Dolan on Knicks ring night https://t.co/X7iHtHWVJR

— John Karalis 🇬🇷 (@John_Karalis) October 23, 2026

Maybe some rich people should be eaten.

Dolan really waited until we reached the promise land to remind us that he’s a bottom 5 human on earth smh

— Kenny (@Kennyduhballern) October 23, 2026

Really makes it hard to root for them in the future.

It's almost impressive that the Knicks just provided the greatest New York sports memory ever and James Dolan will still be forever reviled

— Jeremy Schneider (@J_Schneider) October 23, 2026

Also, the memory is forever ruined for all the people caught up in this 'test'. 

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