Knicks President Leon Rose '83 Leads New York Back to the Finals
Leon Rose '83, the president of basketball operations for the New York Knicks.
Dickinson Alum leads the Knicks back to the championship series for the first time in 27 years
When Leon Rose '83 was named president of the New York Knicks in March 2020, he inherited a franchise in its seventh consecutive losing season. On Monday, he stood in the stands at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, tears running down his face, watching the team he rebuilt sweep the Cavaliers to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.
Rose was seen in the stands embracing his son and surrounded by other fans, before making his way to the court to celebrate alongside superfan and actor Timothée Chalamet.
It has been a long road back. When Rose stepped in as president, he immediately revitalized the franchise under head coach Tom Thibodeau, and the Knicks reached the playoffs in 2021 for the first time since 2013. A political science major at Dickinson, Rose joined the Knicks after a distinguished career as a basketball agent at CAA Sports, where he was ranked among the world's most powerful sports agents and represented some of the NBA's biggest names, including LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Allen Iverson and Dwyane Wade.
In his letter to fans upon taking the job, Rose set out his mission plainly: "Everyone—from ownership to athletes, to staff and especially our fans—wants this team to be a winner," Rose wrote. "We will have all the resources necessary to create a great organization—one that supports our efforts to build a winning culture and gives Knicks fans, and the city of New York, the team you deserve."
He delivered on that promise through a series of bold front-office moves, signing Jalen Brunson in 2022 and negotiating trades for OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns. The New York Amsterdam News called the signing of Brunson the most consequential free-agent deal in Knicks history. When Rose determined that Thibodeau had taken the team as far as he could, he made the difficult decision to let him go after five seasons—a polarizing move given that Thibodeau had just guided the franchise to its first conference finals appearance in 25 years. Rose hired Mike Brown as his replacement, citing a vision of organizational collaboration and championship experience.
The Knicks finished the 2025-26 regular season 53-29 before steamrolling through the playoffs. They defeated the Atlanta Hawks, swept the Philadelphia 76ers in the conference semifinals and then quickly dispatched Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Finals—making back-to-back conference finals appearances for the first time since the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons. SNY NBA insider Ian Begley called the Finals run a testament to Rose's determination and decision-making.
The last time the Knicks won a championship was 1973. Thanks in large part to Rose, they are now four wins away from ending that 53-year drought.
TAKE THE NEXT STEPS
Published May 27, 2026