- Oct 16, 2026
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SportsMafia Wire graphic. Photo: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Team logos via ESPN.
New York Knicks assistant coaches were handed empty boxes during Tuesday's championship ring ceremony, as the team had not yet fitted them for jewelry.
The assistants' reactions spanned from irritation to fury, according to reports. Some Knicks business operations employees and MSG staff will not receive rings at all after falling victim to a cybersecurity test. A phishing email with the subject line "your Employee Championship Ring is here" offered recipients two options at no cost. Staff who clicked the link were told they had failed the test and would be required to complete mandatory cybersecurity training.
An MSG Sports spokesperson declined to discuss the matter.
The Knicks ended a 53-year championship drought by defeating the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. Tuesday's ceremony unveiled two new banners, commemorating both the NBA title and the team's NBA Cup victory in the 2025-26 season.
Oklahoma City Thunder personnel also experienced ring delays following their 2025 championship.
Source: ESPN - Fri Oct 23, 11:07 AM ET
Written by the SportsMafia Wire desk in our own words from the original reporting (AI-assisted, checked against the source).