Sports · Basketball · 5 hrs ago
Knicks plan more than $3.7 million in championship rings and jewelry for staff
The New York Knicks will give more than 275 rings and jewelry to players, coaches, employees and others in the team family.
The gifts, worth more than $3.7 million, recognize their contribution to the Knicks' 2026 NBA Finals win over the San Antonio Spurs.
At the season opener, players and team president Leon Rose received rings, while assistants were told they would not get one that night.
The team also sent employees a fake email promising rings as part of a cybersecurity test that used the keepsakes as bait.
The Knicks said the test was an unfortunate mistake, especially after the company was hacked using an employee's login and password obtained through a similar phishing attack.
The expanded distribution follows widespread criticism, but the team has not said when the additional rings and jewelry will be given out.
The New York Knicks say they will give more than 275 championship rings and pieces of jewelry to players, coaches, employees and other members of the team.
The items are worth more than $3.7 million, according to a Madison Square Garden spokesperson.
The plan followed criticism of an internal cybersecurity email that led some employees to believe they would receive rings.
The company said using rings as a lure in a phishing simulation was an “unfortunate mistake.”
The Knicks received their rings at a ceremony during Tuesday’s season opener after winning the 2026 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.
- Who
- The New York Knicks and Madison Square Garden plan to give rings and jewelry to players, coaches, employees and other members of the Knicks family.
- What
- The team plans to distribute more than 275 rings and pieces of jewelry worth more than $3.7 million.
- When
- The plan was announced on Friday, October 23, 2026. The players and team president received rings at Tuesday’s season opener.
- Where
- Madison Square Garden in New York.
- Why
- The gifts are to recognize recipients’ contributions and celebrate the championship. The announcement followed backlash over a phishing simulation that used rings as a lure.
Madison Square Garden
Critics of the ring email
Purpose of email
Madison Square Garden
MSG said it was a phishing simulation designed to strengthen security against hackers.
Critics of the ring email
Critics said using the promise of championship rings as a lure was cruel and humiliating.
Distribution of rings
Madison Square Garden
MSG said it would gift more than 275 rings and pieces of jewelry to members of the Knicks family.
Critics of the ring email
Critics objected to employees being led to expect rings and to reports that many staff would not receive them.
Knicks players and team president Leon Rose received championship rings at Madison Square Garden.
Madison Square Garden announced plans to gift more than 275 rings and pieces of jewelry to members of the Knicks family.
- Planned gifts
- More than 275 championship rings and pieces of jewelry
- Estimated value
- More than $3.7 million
- Championship opponent
- San Antonio Spurs
- Team president
- Leon Rose
- Ring ceremony venue
- Madison Square Garden
1 source
What people are saying
Using the rings as a lure to gain employees' attention was an unfortunate mistake.
The company is gifting more than 275 championship rings and jewelry to players, coaches, employees and other members of the Knicks family, worth more than $3.7 million, in recognition of their contributions and celebrating this achievement.