New York Knicks owner James Dolan spent a Wednesday afternoon radio appearance defending his team on multiple fronts, suggesting officials missed a flagrant foul by Victor Wembanyama in Game 3 while also blasting New York City officials over security measures around Madison Square Garden ahead of Game 4.
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Appearing on WFAN, Dolan stopped short of directly criticizing the officiating but made his feelings clear when asked about a controversial sequence involving the Spurs superstar and Knicks guard Jalen Brunson.
“I’m a governor of the NBA, and I’m restricted and bound by the rules of the NBA, of which there are a lot,” Dolan said. “So there’s little that I can say. I will say if you read the cover of the New York Post today, I think they got it right, which hopefully won’t get me in trouble.”
The New York Post’s Wednesday cover featured a photo of Wembanyama making contact with Brunson under the headline “Wanted for crimes against the Knicks,” arguing that the play warranted a flagrant foul.
Wemby’s dirty, ref-boosted Game 3 vs. Knicks makes him Public Enemy No. 1 in NYC: ‘He’s the series villain’ https://t.co/O2uQ7RrvM9 pic.twitter.com/R1bHJSTayZ
— New York Post (@nypost) June 10, 2026
Dolan also used the interview to escalate an ongoing dispute with New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration over crowd-control plans around Madison Square Garden. Earlier Wednesday, MSG Sports accused city officials of trying to prevent fans from gathering outside the arena during the Knicks’ playoff run.
Dolan echoed that sentiment on the air, urging fans to arrive early because of increased security while questioning the reasoning behind it.
“This is all really designed around stopping people from celebrating around Madison Square Garden,” Dolan said. “That’s what this is about.”
Dolan said his frustration was directed not at police officers but at City Hall.
“We love the NYPD,” Dolan said. “We know the captains, we know the chiefs. They can handle this. They don’t need this. … It’s really the mayor’s office. I cannot explain their decisions on this, but it makes absolutely no sense at all.”
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Referencing concerns raised after large crowds gathered in Bryant Park during the Knicks’ playoff run, Dolan argued that incidents there should not be used to justify restrictions around MSG.
“Bryant Park was not our party. Bryant Park was the mayor’s party,” Dolan said. “We’ve had tens of thousands, tens and tens of thousands of people celebrating outside of Madison Square Garden and it’s been relatively peaceful.”
Dolan went further, accusing city leaders of overreacting.
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“I think that’s part of what we’re seeing — a lot of fear from the mayor’s office, a lot of anxiety,” Dolan said. “They’re sitting there trying to say, ‘Well, we’re big Knicks fans.’ But they’re not Knicks fans.”
Through it all, Dolan insisted the Knicks’ fate rests with themselves and predicted they will emerge victorious.
“In the end, it’s not who we play, and it’s not the officiating,” Dolan said. “It’s how we play. If the team that comes out on the floor tonight is the Knicks team that we know and love, there’s nothing that can stop them. Not missed calls. Not 7-foot-4 aliens.”
Dolan added that he expects New York to win Game 4 and ultimately capture its first NBA championship since 1973.