When receiving the keys to the city from the mayor, it’s customary to pause for a picture. On Thursday, Knicks Owner James Dolan showed he’d rather not.
As New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani presented Dolan with the keys to the city, the politician appeared to hold the keys and look to the camera for a picture, but Dolan had no interest in hanging around.
The tension between the two was palpable during the podium speeches. Mamdani spoke at length, honoring former Knicks greats, such as Charles Oakley, with whom Dolan has a longstanding feud, and recalling great Knicks moments from the past.
When Dolan came up to the mic, he made clear he didn’t need anyone’s “vote.”
“I don’t need your vote, I don’t need to quote to you, right, about what happened,” Dolan said in an apparent shot at the mayor, “cause if you’re real Knicks fans, you know it already.”
Dolan, a friend of President Trump, made his distaste for City Hall known after Mayor Mamdani placed restrictions around Madison Square Garden for part of the NBA Finals.