Behind the Scenes of the Not the Knicks Journalism

In 2015, the New York Knicks were not performing well. Scott Cacciola, covering the Knicks for The New York Times, decided to take a step back from their dismal season. On January 5, that year, the Knicks suffered their 12th consecutive loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, losing 105-83. This defeat left them with a 5-32 record, matching the worst in the league at the time. Management decided to trade two of their key players, signaling a surrender for the season.

Cacciola reported on this trade but chose to focus on a new angle. Instead of continuing to document the Knicks’ struggles, he explored other noteworthy basketball stories. He started writing about the Emporia State Lady Hornets, a leading team in Division II women’s college basketball. This story marked the launch of a series titled Not the Knicks. Cacciola’s journey aimed to highlight skillful basketball that could not be found in the Knicks’ fixtures at the time.

Now, the Knicks stand just one victory away from a championship, changing the narrative. Still, the 2014-15 season remains a vivid memory, especially for older fans enduring the lengthy 53-year title drought.

Times Insider spoke with journalists on the Sports desk integral to the Not the Knicks project. Here are some insights from their reflections:

Jason Stallman, Sports Editor: The Knicks’ poor performance led to significant fan dissatisfaction. Around January 5, the team effectively declared the season over. They traded J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert, and Phil Jackson, the team president then, mentioned their focus was shifting to the upcoming draft. This issue persists in the NBA where teams opt to prioritize future drafts over current seasons.