Knicks owner James Dolan reportedly had a verbal clash with NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani last week. The tense interaction occurred when the duo met at City Hall to conclude the Knicks’ championship parade. They spoke at the ticker-tape parade and rally at City Hall on Thursday.
James Dolan seemingly takes swipe at Zohran Mamdani
Zohran Mamdani seemingly clashed with the Knicks’ owner, James Dolan, after the latter said in an interview that the New York City mayor is not a real fan of the team. During his speech at City Hall, Mamdani praised the Knicks’ history with a shout-out to the team’s former player, Charles Oakley, who has been publicly in a legal battle with Dolan.
Following Mamdani’s speech, Dolan seemingly took a jab at the NYC mayor. “I don’t need your vote,” the Knicks owner told the crowd. “I don’t need to quote to you what happened. If you’re real Knicks fans, you know it already,” he added.
Mamdani then went on to issue keys to the city to several staff members and players, including Dolan. However, the MSG Network CEO appeared to avoid a photo op with Mamdani. The pair did shake hands at the time.
The report comes just days after Dolan confirmed that the New York Knicks have accepted an invitation to the White House following their recent NBA Championship victory. Speaking with WFAN New York on Wednesday, the Knicks owner said, “We just did receive an invitation from [the] White House, which we accepted. We still have to figure out the details.”
Dolan also spoke about his friendship with Donald Trump during the interview. “I invited the President to come down for the game,” he said, adding, “He is a friend. I’ve known him for 30 years, and I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House.”
The President attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, where he was booed by the crowd.
Originally reported by Namrata Ghosh on Mandatory.
