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New York Knicks owner James Dolan looks on during Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals.
Credit: Gregory Shamus/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- James Dolan urged the Knicks to embrace sacrifice and commitment in a passionate speech ahead of the NBA playoffs
- Dolan suggested the players "give up sex" to show their dedication to the team
- The Knicks ended a 53-year title drought with their NBA championship
James Dolan means business.
Back in April, New York Knicks owner, 71, delivered a passionate speech to the team ahead of their playoff run to get them dialed in ahead of their pursuit of the Larry O'Brien Trophy, which they ultimately did against the San Antonio Spurs in the 2026 NBA Finals.
Dolan's speech recently came to light thanks to Knicks stars Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, who shared a clip on their podcast The Roommates Show on Monday, June 14, two days after their championship win. The video was from April 3, when the team had five games left in the regular season.
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James Dolan celebrates with the New York Knicks after winning the 2026 NBA Finals.
Credit: Ronald Cortes/Getty
At one point in his lengthy speech, the Knicks owner put forth a strategic sacrifice he believed his players should make to give themselves "edge" over the other teams. The idea, however, was to be discussed with their romantic partners.
"I had this idea that maybe you should give up sex for the next 10 weeks," he said, per clips of the speech on social media. "The Spartans, they denied themselves, right, so they can have an edge. Get the edge. Go home, talk to your wives ... don't tell them it was my idea."
He added, "But let them know what this is going to be like, what this commitment is going to be like."
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The New York Knicks celebrate after winning the 2026 NBA Finals.
Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty
Dolan began his speech by hyping up the team, encouraging them to envision what a championship title would mean for them personally.
"This team can win it all... I don't know if you understand what it would mean for you to win the championship this year," he said. "It would be life-changing for all of you... It will stick with you for the rest of your lives, and if you don't win it, you'll be thinking about it the rest of your lives, and so will I."
After addressing the firing of coach Tom Thibodeau and hiring of current head coach Mike Brown, Dolan emphasized that a 10-week playoff run wasn't that long. Its effects, however, would have lifelong benefits if the Knicks ended a 53-year championship drought.
"When people introduce you, even if you become the President of the United States, right, they'll start off with 'NBA champion 2026,' I guarantee it," he told the team. "We have a rare and unique opportunity to do it. And it's not just you guys, the players, it's all of us."
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Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks.
Credit: Al Bello/Getty
Dolan also noted that the players' wives and significant others would get rings "when we win the championship," and that they must follow their coaches "blindly" for the playoffs.
"Your coach has the answers to what we need to do in order to win," he continued. "You have to take his guidance. Dedicate yourselves to correcting the things that he has pointed out to you," stressing, "You got to leave nothing on the table. You must go for it."
After Dolan's passionate speech, the Knicks won the next four regular-season games before sitting their starters for the last game.
They followed that with a 16–3 playoff run, highlighted by a record 13-game winning streak, and defeated the San Antonio Spurs in five games to capture their first championship since 1973.
Read the original article on People
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