The Nicest Guy Brings it Home to NYC

It took 53 years for the NY Knicks to win the playoffs. And the joy heard in the streets last night on all the recordings I saw was heartfelt. I am so happy for NY because this was accomplished with the leadership of one of the nicest guys I went to college with, Leon Rose.

Leon has been the president of the Knicks since March of 2020. Could not have been the easiest time to start a new job. He took this job after being a most successful sports agent for the likes of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony to name just a few of his clients. I thought when I heard he took that job that he had an almost insurmountable task, but was ever hopeful for him.

Leon and I were friends in the same class at Dickinson College where he played basketball. He was a not too tall Jewish kid from Cherry Hill, NJ, but he was fast and smart and just about the nicest guy. He was good friends with my sophomore suite mate Laurie, who played girls basketball. If you asked me one word to describe Leon is would have been, “smiling.”

Last night, after the Knicks won game five, in the post game interview he talked about the team being a family. He was the same friendly guy in college. He had a strong friend group that he seemed to treat like a family then.

His success does not surprise me one bit. It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. I just wish that his great friend Danny Allanoff was still alive to share in this excitement. Hooray for Leon Rose, class of ‘83. You made us all smile.