Maybe, next time the New York Knicks win an NBA championship, the people who run New York City might take a little more care to make sure actual Knicks fans are involved with the planning of the celebration.
New York City Hall decided to adorn itself with the jerseys of the Knicks players who just won the 2026 NBA championship, and somehow mixed up the jersey number of Knicks reserve Dillon Jones — No. 1 — and instead hung Jones’ jersey outside of City Hall with the No. 33 jersey worn by legendary Knicks center and Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing.
Ewing’s jersey number was retired by the Knicks in 2003.
On Saturday, the Knicks closed out a 4-1 win over the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals for their 1st championship since 1973. Thursday’s parade was expected to be attended by up to 10 million fans. Which means a lot of eyes on the jersey mistake.
From TMZ: “One problem — Jones never wore those digits for the Knicks, as it was retired in honor of Patrick Ewing back in 2003. His number in New York is actually 1.Jones DID wear it last preseason with the Washington Wizards … and some online rosters still have him listed with Ewing’s No. 33. It’s fair to assume whoever designed the banners went off an unofficial list … and many in attendance were left scratching their heads.”
Jones didn’t see the floor in the postseason for the Knicks and only played in 7 regular-seaosn games but earned his own place in NBA history by winning consecutive NBA titles — he played for the Oklahoma City Thunder last season on their way to winning the title.
“Dillon Jones will forever be an answer to a trivia question,” WFAN’s Pete Hoffman wrote on his official X account on Thursday.
NBA Fans Roast NY City Hall Over Jersey Mistake
As can be imagined, NBA fans were slightly unforgiving over the mistake.
Ewing, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1985 NBA draft, played most of his 17-year NBA career with the Knicks and is widely considered 1 of the greatest centers of all time. He was also on the Knicks the last time they made the NBA Finals when they lost to the Spurs in 1999.
An 11-time NBA All-Star, Ewing actually made the Hall of Fame twice — as an individual and as a member of the Team USA Olympic “Dream Team” in 1992.
“There’s a Dillon Jones banner hanging at City Hall with jersey number #33,” Knicks fan account The Strickland wrote on its official X account. “He wears #1 and #33 is… you know.”
“Don’t ever accuse Knicks fans of being band wagon fans!” Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy wrote on his official X account. “I mean just look at city hall hanging up #33 for Dillon Jones.”
“The Knicks just said ‘(f—) it, Dillon Jones is a back to back NBA champion!’ and gave him Patrick Ewing’s number on the biggest stage in Knicks history,” KFC Barstool wrote on his official X account. “A mistake like this is unfathomable! (And if it’s not a mistake & theres some reasoning behind it, thats also dumb).”
New York City Hall Insults Knicks Legend Patrick Ewing at Championship Parade