Article graphics by Omar Zahran (@omarzahran.bsky.social on Bluesky)
Some NBA owners relish speaking their thoughts into the ether. Suns owner Mat Ishbia has done numerous podcast appearances, and former Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is one of the most visible online sports ownership personalities out there. Over the last half-decade, James Dolan has been the opposite.
The Knicks owner rarely does media interviews, having resigned himself to letting the people he hired focus on the basketball decisions. This week, that changed when Dolan did an interview with WFAN where he discussed a wide array of topics, from the dismissal of Tom Thibodeau to the team’s reported interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo.
An important piece of the interview regarded the expectations for this year's team. Dolan left all modesty at the door and said he believes that this year's team should make and win the Finals. It's an emphatic statement from the much-maligned owner of the Knicks and is indicative of the pressure and scrutiny that this team is under this season.
