Leon Rose’s Impact on the Knicks

LAS VEGAS — Having witnessed Leon Rose secure substantial contracts for his friends, Dwyane Wade wasn’t at all surprised by Rose’s achievements as president of the Knicks.

“No way. You have no idea how much money he’s helped people get,” said Wade, a Hall of Famer. “What he’s done there is impressive. There’s definitely a New York vibe to their progress. It’s working for them. They’ve really nailed down what the fans want to support, and honestly, that’s huge for any team in specific markets.”

Before joining the Knicks, Rose was with Creative Artists Agency, representing stars like Wade, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, and LeBron James—fondly known as the “banana boat guys.”

Over six seasons leading the Knicks, Rose has shifted the organization from a chaotic mess to a genuine contender for the NBA Finals.

If they manage to beat the Spurs on Sunday, the Knicks could claim the NBA Cup, marking their first championship of any kind since 1973.

Interestingly, Rose tends to keep a low profile; he’s not one to discuss his successes in public.

“Leon is very much behind the scenes,” Wade noted. “I doubt most people even recognize him.”

Mikal Bridges mentioned that while Tracy McGrady is one of his all-time favorites, he’d prefer teaming up with someone like Rajon Rondo for their gameplay skills.

OG Anunoby shared that winning the NBA Cup is “pretty awesome,” but he remains focused on their ultimate goal: hosting it come June.

In a light-hearted segment on Knicks history, of the three current players asked about the starting lineup from the 1999 Finals—Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Karl-Anthony Towns—only Brunson managed to get one right.

The lineup against the Spurs included Charlie Ward, Latrell Sprewell, Allan Houston, Larry Johnson, and Marcus Camby. Brunson, whose dad was a reserve player that year, managed to name four of them but missed Ward.