Transcript: Mayor Mamdani Appears on Knicks Fan TV
Zohran Mamdani on NYC Mayor's Office transcripts.
Passages
It's such a pleasure to be on. Thank you for having me. We're doing great.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceI got to be honest with you. I thought it was a dream too far to actually even imagine. And yet here we are. I mean, 53 years, [27] years just since the last finals. And the fact that this would be the first ticker-tape parade in Knicks history, because even the last time we won in ‘73, there wasn't a parade. And now this is an opportunity to just celebrate that with the whole city.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceYou know, I got to be honest with you. I was at Le Dive in the V illage with a number of friends and also with Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez. And I feel like I want to watch the whole game back because the closer we got to it, the more I just got lost in the moment. And it's still even now hard to believe, but it is going to be one of the greatest nights, not just in my memory, but I think for so many New Yorkers, because as soon as we won, just like so many, you know, I went out into the street, and all you could see was people who had been waiting for 53 years for this. Some people who had only just started watching the Knicks that week. And yet it felt like a pent-up release for their sense of being a part of something bigger than themselves.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceAnd I think you heard it from him, you know, when he first got to the Knicks about how he's always described in a language of “but” or a language of “caveat” that, you know, he's this, but he's also that. And he speaks to the story of the city as a whole. And so many New Yorkers who've been counted out. They've been overlooked, as you said. And instead, they show every single day that they're worth it. And for him to be “Captain Clutch” and deliver us this championship after his father was on the ‘99 team that was beaten by the same team we went up against, and they beat us 4-1. And now, we beat them 4-1. I think it's as you said; it's a beautiful full-circle moment.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceYou know, I got to bring up GTA. You know, Jose Alvarado. He's New York City born and raised. And even just that spin move. I mean, it just speaks of what it feels like to play ball in this city. And, you know, I had the privilege of standing with him at the Puerto Rican Day Parade in Bushwick at the Knickerbocker Avenue Parade. And it was a homecoming for a hero of the city. And we're just so excited to have him on this team and to have his story also be part of this team's story.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceI just — even thinking about, you know, the 29 points down. It is just incredible because what it has left all of us feeling, even in Game Five, when we were down, just that feeling of it's inevitable, we're going to come back, that kind of confidence. It's a confidence that this team has given this city. And I just can't say thank you enough to them.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceYou know, I got to be honest with you. I went to a game in 2011 when Toney Douglas hit the franchise record threes against the Grizzlies and Hamed Haddadi. And I thought that was going to be the greatest moment I had as a Knicks fan. So, I got to shout out Toney Douglas.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceHe gave me hope. He gave me hope in a tough time. And I think that there are so many players who we look back on and we say, you know, the memories that we have. And now to get to this point, it's a beautiful thing that so many former players are also a part of it.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceAbsolutely. I think first and foremost, the parade is going to begin at 10 a.m. But any Knicks fan that I tell that to will tell me, “Okay, I'll be there at 5 a.m.” And it's understandable because it's going to be so many people coming. We're going to open up the viewing pens at 6 in the morning. And we're letting everyone know: do not bring a bag. Do not bring an umbrella. Do not bring a bicycle. Just make sure that you're prepared to go through screening, and then you can get there to the viewing site. You know, right now, it may rain a little bit. Totally fine to bring your ponchos. Totally fine to come there with your friends. And the best place to find all of this information is at the website that we've put out, which lets you know about travel information, which subway stops are going to be operational during the parade and after the parade, as well as any and all the restrictions on how to make sure you're a part of this. The other thing that we know is that after the parade, there will be a ceremony right here at City Hall. And usually that's a ceremony that fans can only watch on TV. We actually made the decision to set aside 600 seats at the ceremony that will only have capacity for a few thousand people for fans. And right now, there's, you know, about 20 more minutes before the sweepstakes ends and fans can be a part of that. They can put their name in online.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceWell, first of all, we just have to say a deep thank you to Wu-Tang and, you know, Wu-Tang forever, Wu-Tang for the kids. And I'll leave the special guests and the announcements — they'll come out in the next few hours, and they'll come out also tomorrow. But what I will say is, as you said, I'll be very excited to give the first-ever key to the city under our administration to this incredible team that has brought the city together in a way that we just haven't seen before.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the sourceThank you so much, my brother. It's a pleasure to be on. ###
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the source
Every passage above is taken from this recording: NYC Mayor's Office transcripts, Transcript: Mayor Mamdani Appears on Knicks Fan TV.