Knicks employees offered rings in phishing email: Report

Some employees at Madison Square Garden thought they were getting an early chance to claim a New York Knicks championship ring. Instead, they were taking part in a cybersecurity test.

The Athletic reported that a mass email sent to employees in late September appeared to offer complimentary championship rings and invited recipients to select between two ring designs.

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"Congratulations, your Employee Championship Ring is here," the email read, according to the outlet.

"(Employee name), this one is on the house. MSG is issuing a complimentary employee championship ring. The same jeweler, the same craftsmanship, personalized with your name. No cost to you.

"There are two designs to choose from: Championship Gold and Garden Classic. Reserve the one you want below."

The offer, however, was not legitimate.

The Athletic stated that the email was part of an internal phishing exercise designed to determine whether employees would click the link. Team sources told the outlet that workers who did were required to complete cybersecurity training afterward as part of the organization's efforts to improve digital security awareness.

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The revelation emerged after the Knicks held their championship ring ceremony Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, where players received rings commemorating the franchise's first NBA title in more than 50 years.

The Athletic also reported that some assistant coaches did not receive their rings during the ceremony and were instead presented with ring boxes, with the actual rings expected to be delivered later. The outlet further reported that some longtime Madison Square Garden employees may not receive championship rings at all, despite rings traditionally being distributed to a broad group of staff members across many professional sports organizations following a title run.

"We are not disclosing anything the rings," an MSG Sports spokesperson said in a statement to The Athletic.

MSG did not immediately respond to NBC’s request for .