James Dolan’s latest twist on a championship ring celebration involved more than jewelry.
Before the Knicks’ meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, the team staged a ring ceremony that turned into a strange mix of celebration and cybersecurity lesson. According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, some Knicks assistants never received their ring. Dolan also sent employees a phishing email tied to the rings, part of what team sources said was an effort to address his concerns about cybersecurity.
“Atop the email, a copy of which The Athletic has obtained, was a graphic of two differently styled rings,” Vardon wrote. “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.”
And if anyone took the bait, there was no prize waiting.
“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, those team sources said.”
That made for one of the more unusual ring ceremonies you’ll find in the NBA. Meanwhile, Vardon noted that members of the Oklahoma City Thunder staff did not receive their rings right away. Knicks players including Jalen Brunson, Karl Anthony-Towns and Jose Alvarado, along with coach Mike Brown, did get theirs, giving Madison Square Garden the full championship feel.
The night also came before the 76ers stunned New York on its home floor, a result that capped the bizarre evening.
The Knicks' championship rings not only have a tier that pulls up to look like Madison Square Garden, but it also opens to reveal the entire court and top of MSG inside. pic.twitter.com/s36jOMFXSf
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) October 20, 2026
New York then had Wednesday and Thursday off. The defending NBA champions are back on the road Friday for their first trip away this season, when they face the Boston Celtics in an Eastern Conference showdown.
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