‘Just so unlikeable’: Knicks owner James Dolan continues to lose to Mayor Zohran Mamdani
· Yahoo Sports
Over the past several weeks, New York Knicks team owner James Dolan has been in the midst of a public perception battle with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. That battle continued again on Thursday at the team’s victory celebration outside City Hall, and once again, Mamdani came away as the winner.
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Mamdani delivered a rousing and inspirational speech that connected the team’s historic NBA Championship run to the culture and spirit of the city while recounting the history of the Knicks, naming several players from the past, both legendary and underappreciated. Dolan, meanwhile, used his speech to seemingly take a shot at Mamdani.
Needless to say, Mamdani’s speech was a hit while Dolan faced heavy criticism.
Mamdani Praised For Speech
During Thursday’s celebration, Mamdani delivered what was instantly hailed as one of the best sports speeches ever delivered by a politician. In the speech, the New York City Mayor recounted the history of the Knicks since their last championship 53 years ago, praising dozens of current and former Knicks players, including rather deep pulls like Mardy Collins and Toney Douglas.
Mamdani connected the team’s historic 29-point comeback in Game 4, where the odds gave them just a 0.4% chance of winning the game at that point, to the overall spirit and culture of New York City as a whole.
“There is one thing that the pundits just don’t get about this team, what they don’t get about this city: it is in that 0.4% that we go to work,” Mamdani said.
“The Knicks did not just win for New York City, they won like New York City,” Mamdani said later in his speech. “What is New York without your back against the wall? A dream that feels just out of reach? A rent payment you don’t know how you’ll ever make? What is New York if not 99.6% of the world stacked against you? And who are New Yorkers who hear those odds, and smile?
“This is our city. This is our team. For 53 years we’ve watched. For 53 years we’ve waited. Now, we’ve won.”
The speech was highly praised, with commenters calling him a “certified ball-knower” and his speech “the best sports speech in political history.”
Dolan Responds, Faces Criticism
Dolan addressed the crowd following Mamdani’s rousing speech. But instead of offering some inspirational words the way Mamdani did, he decided to use the opportunity to take a not-so-subtle swipe at Mamdani’s speech.
“I don’t need your vote. I don’t need to quote to you about what happened here, because if you’re real Knick fans, you know it already,” Dolan said, clearly responding to Mamdani’s speech.
Needless to say, these comments did not go over well with fans.
“James Dolan is a thoroughly unlovable human being,” one fan wrote in a post on X.
“Guy can’t help himself lmao, just so unlikeable,” someone else said.
“Billionaire gonna billionaire: I don’t need you! You need me!!” another person criticized.
“What a loser, even as a champion, he can’t escape it,” someone else added.
Real Knick fans know the team won in spite of James Dolan. He is 1 of the worst owners in sports,” another fan wrote.
After losing their public perception battle during the finals, it’s clear that Dolan lost during the parade, too.
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