NYC Deputy Mayor Ignores Controversy Questions to Talk Knicks

New York City Deputy Mayor Phillip Banks III invoked the New York Knicks' name to evade questions about controversies at City Hall.

Nov 24, 2023; New York, New York, USA; General view of the in-season tournament court logo during warmups before a game between the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

New York City Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phillip Banks III sounds more concerned about the New York Knicks' defense than anything potentially in store at City Hall.

Amidst the indictment of Mayor Eric Adams on charges of bribery and fraud, Banks invoked the name of the Knicks in an apparent scheme of deflection when questioned by local reporter Kelly Mena of NY1. In video shared by Mena's colleague Samantha Liebman, Mena asks Banks if he's worried that he'll be indicted next but he brings up the Knicks' supposed issues rather than those of Adams.

"I'm worried because the Knicks, they just needed a little bit of perimeter defense and I think, at that particular point, we have a championship team," Banks says in the video as Mena continues to question him. "Because the New York Knicks, we have been waiting a very long time for a very long time for the Knicks to win a championship. Last time they won was 1973. But we got a great, great team,"

The Knicks remain on Banks' mind as Mena follows him, declaring "Go New York, go New York go," (the lyrics of the Knicks' longtime anthem). When Mena asks for a message, Banks declares "That you should be a New York fan!"

While the Knicks do have their share of issues that could derail arguably the most hopeful season the franchise has faced since its aforementioned last championship in 1973, they did address issues on the perimeter in the both the short and long-term this offseason.

This season's starting five is slated to feature the services of both OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, two of the more lauded defensive standouts in today's Association. Anunoby, acquired in late December through a deal with Toronto, signed a five-year, $212.5 million contract extension set to keep him in New York through 2029 while Bridges arrives through a rare trade with the Brooklyn Nets.

Banks' concerns should perhaps instead center upon the center: New York lost Isaiah Hartenstein over the offseason and recent reports hint that starter Mitchell Robinson, having already dealt with two ankle-related absences last season, may not be ready for a return until December or January. New York's depth in the area is relatively limited but some expected Julius Randle to take over such duties, at least on a sporadic basis.

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