New York City officials have been roasted for an embarrassing error with banners honoring the Knicks during the NBA team’s victory parade.
As part of Thursday’s festivities celebrating the Knicks winning their first NBA championship in 53 years, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani handed the team the keys to the city in a symbolic gesture.
But fans quickly noticed an error on one of the banners showcasing the players’ jerseys hung on the outside of City Hall. Forward Dillon Jones, who plays as No. 1, was given Knicks legend Patrick Ewing’s retired No. 33 on the banner.
“A mistake like this is unfathomable!” Kevin Clancy from media company Barstool Sports wrote on X in reaction to the mix-up.
“It’s sacrilege to hang up 33 if it’s not for Patrick Ewing,” New York Post reporter Rich Calder wrote. “What is City Hall thinking? Dillon Jones is not 33.”
Sports radio host Evan Roberts shared the image of Jones’ erroneous banner and simply wrote, “Ummm.”
One sports fan called for the people responsible for the mistake to face severe consequences.
“Whoever sent this to the print shop, their supervisor, the person who printed it, and the person who packed it should all be fired,” the fan wrote. “Also whoever has Jones listed as 33 on NBA.com, also fired.”
Some people have noted that Jones was listed on the NBA and ESPN websites as No. 33. The Independent confirmed that the Knicks forward was listed as No. 1 on the NBA site as of Thursday afternoon. There was no change to ESPN’s site at that time.
The Independent has reached out to Mamdani’s office, the NBA and ESPN for comment.
The confusion could have been from a different team that Jones previously played on.
The X account New York Basketball explained that Jones wore No. 33 for the Washington Wizards during preseason, but was cut before opening night.
Hours before the parade began Thursday morning, thousands of fans flooded lower Manhattan. The procession kicked off at 10 a.m. near Battery Park, moving up Broadway before finishing at City Hall.
Speaking outside City Hall, Knicks MVP Jalen Brunson said in disbelief, “Damn. We really did it, dawg.”
The Knicks clinched their first championship in 53 years by defeating the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the Finals on Saturday.
That night, ecstatic fans took to the city streets to cheer on their team. While the night was mostly joyous, there was some chaos as some fans climbed on the roofs of shuttle buses in Times Square, with one bus set on fire.
