NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks sought to clear up what they said is “misinformation” regarding the awarding of their championship rings, saying Saturday that employees who were always supposed to get them will do so in about a month.
Madison Square Garden again conceded that using an email regarding the selection of rings to train staffers about cybersecurity was a mistake, though “reminding our employees to protect our IP was not.”
It was the second straight day the NBA champions responded to criticism of their distribution of the jewelry they earned after winning their first title since 1973.
Players were awarded their rings Tuesday night before the Knicks opened the season against the Philadelphia 76ers. But The Athletic reported later in the week that assistant coaches did not get theirs.
Madison Square Garden responded to that Friday by saying more than 275 employees were already set to be gifted rings, worth more than $3.7 million.
“There is a great deal of misinformation regarding the championship rings. The plan has always been to distribute more than 275 rings and jewelry to the people in the organization who were part of last season’s success," an MSG spokesperson said Saturday. “As is common with many teams, the players were always supposed to get their rings as part of the opening night ceremony and then everyone else will receive theirs in about 4-6 weeks.”
The Athletic report also said that in September, MSG employees received an email reading: “Congratulations, your Employee Championship Ring is here.” It showed a graphic with two ring styles that could be selected, but those who clicked on the link at the bottom of the email were forced to attend a mandatory cybersecurity class.
“Regarding the phishing email, the process of securing and reminding our employees to protect our IP was not a mistake but the choice to use the ring to do so was a mistake and we apologize to our employees and the fans,” MSG said.
"Winning the championship was a great moment for all New Yorkers. Those who choose to focus on the negative are missing the joy that comes with the team’s accomplishment.”
See AP’s full NBA coverage here
The New York Knicks 2025-26 World Champions banner is raised before an NBA basketball game between the Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, left, shows his ring to his father Rick Brunson before an NBA basketball game between the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado, center, looks at his 2025-26 World Champions ring alongside teammates center Karl-Anthony Towns, left, and guard Josh Hart before an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — Newly minted all-around champion Skye Blakely added to her medal haul at the world gymnastics championships, earning bronze on vault and uneven bars during the event finals on Saturday.
The 21-year-old from Dallas, who soared to gold in the all-around on Friday after recovering from injuries that wrecked her Olympic hopes in 2021 and again in 2024, hardly looked tired in what has quickly become the meet of her life.
Blakely averaged a score of 14.166 on her pair of vaults to share the podium with gold medalist Rebeca Andrade of Brazil and American teammate Claire Pease.
Andrade, the Olympic champion on vault and the Olympic silver medalist in the all-around in Paris behind Simone Biles, edged Pease for gold. The 27-year-old Andrade, who is competing as an event specialist at the moment while eyeing a run at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, averaged 14.666, a bit ahead of Pease at 14.233.
Kaylia Nemour of Algeria recovered from a misstep on vault in the all-around finals on Friday that cost her a medal to easily defend her gold on uneven bars. Nemour's intricate and technically demanding routine — perhaps the hardest currently being done by any gymnast, male or female, in any event — earned her a 15.333, the highest score of the day.
Helen Kervic of Germany captured the silver at 14.833, with Blakely in third at 14.600.
Blakely, who joined Olympic champions Biles and Nastia Liukin as well as Rebecca Bross as the only American women to win at least four medals at a single worlds, will have a chance to add to her medal total on Sunday when she competes in the beam final.
American Fred Richard helped the U.S. men's team earn a bit of redemption after a shaky sixth-place finish in the team final by edging Jake Jarman of Britain for gold in the floor exercise. The 22-year-old Richard, who has spent the last several years trying to raise the profile of the men's side of the sport through social media, posted a 14.633 to give the Americans their third individual gold at worlds in the last two years.
Richard said after competing in the NCAA championships for Michigan last spring that he would have a gold medal of some variety around his neck at worlds. A performance that showcased his maturity made it come true.
“It’s OK to manifest,” Richard said. “It’s OK to talk big and believe in yourself. Put in the work every day. As long as that is true, that you’re actually putting in the work, it can happen, and it does happen.”
Jarman, who came in as the defending champion on the event, put together a more difficult routine but was nicked by judges for his execution. His 14.600 wasn't quite enough to knock Richard off the top of the podium.
Carlos Yulo, the reigning Olympic champion on floor, sat during his second tumbling pass and finished eighth in the eight-man final. Arsenii Dukhno of Russia, who topped qualifying, went out of bounds after overcooking a tumbling sequence and wound up sixth.
In other events Saturday, Hamlet Manukyan of Armenia edged Gabriele Targhetta of Italy for gold in a tight pommel horse final. Manukyan's score of 15.300 was just ahead of Targhetta at 15.233. Manukyan's Armenian teammate Mamikon Khachatryan won the bronze at 15.000.
Lan Xingyu of China returned to the top of the podium in still rings. The 28-year-old's score of 14.766 was more than enough to earn him a second world gold in the event to go with the one he captured in 2021. Eleftherios Petrounias of Greece took silver for his sixth world medal in his specialty. Artur Avetisyan captured the bronze.
The world championships wrap up on Sunday with the finals in men's high bar, parallel bars and vault and women's balance beam and floor exercise.
See AP’s full sports coverage here
Skye Blakely, of the United States, reacts after competing in the uneven bars during the apparatus finals at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
Artistic gymnastics Olympic champion Simone Biles, of the United States, acknowledges the crowd wehn attending the apparatus finals at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Frederick Richard, of the United States, poses on the podium after winning the gold medal in the floor exercise during the apparatus finals at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Claire Pease, of the United States, competes in the vault during the apparatus finals at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
Rebeca Andrade, of Brazil, celebrates after winning the gold medal in the vault during the apparatus finals at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)
Skye Blakely, of the United States, competes in the vault during the apparatus finals at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Post)
