The actions of willful discrimination taken by the New York Knicks against reporters from the New York Daily News are an abridgment of the First Amendment and not befitting a team in the National Basketball Association. Daily News reporters were denied access to an introductory news conference on Friday for RJ Barrett and Ignas Brazdeikis simply because owner James Dolan didn’t like the way the media outlet reported on his team. Once again, a team owner or representative has misunderstood the rights of a free press, which is to write and comment without fear of reprisal. The Associated Press Sports Editors join the Professional Basketball Writers Association in supporting the Daily News and also call upon the NBA to take action against the Knicks unless the ban against the Daily News and its journalists is lifted.
Todd M. Adams
President, Associated Press Sports Editors
