Knicks title eases pressure on owner James Dolan after years of criticism

WASHINGTON: The New York Knicks’ NBA championship on Saturday may partly repair the standing of owner James Dolan, whose nearly three decades in charge have drawn sustained criticism over the team’s on-court failures and repeated off-court controversies.

Dolan, 71, took control of the franchise from his father, cable businessman Charles Dolan, in 1999. During much of his tenure, the Knicks struggled to establish themselves as serious contenders, reaching the playoffs only six times across a 19-year stretch. He repeatedly changed coaches and brought in high-profile basketball figures including Isiah Thomas, Phil Jackson and Larry Brown, but those moves did not deliver sustained success.

His time as owner was also marked by controversies beyond basketball. In 2006, Dolan dismissed an executive who had complained of sexual harassment by Isiah Thomas, and the ensuing legal dispute cost the Knicks nearly $12 million. He later brought Thomas back in 2015 as president of the WNBA’s New York Liberty. Over the years, Dolan also barred dozens of people from Madison Square Garden, among them former Knicks player Charles Oakley, who had publicly criticised him, and lawyers acting for fans involved in lawsuits against him. Dolan also had a strained relationship with the NBA and fellow team owners, largely because of his habit of advancing his own interests.

Stephen Master, an adjunct professor of sports media and gaming at New York University, said Dolan’s image had suffered from both management failures and controversies away from the court.