Zohran Mamdani loves the Knicks, and while all New Yorkers may not be fans of the democratic socialist mayor’s policies, few are likely to argue with his passion for NYC’s most popular teams. The 34-year-old politician has been vocally supporting the squad as it makes its first NBA finals run since 1999.
At the same time, Mamdani has been using the exciting and wildly popular historic moment to capture the attention of New Yorkers and direct them toward pressing political matters.
In a political ad that aired on Wednesday night during post-game coverage, Mamdani reminded New Yorkers to get out and vote in the upcoming congressional primaries.
He endorsed three candidates for the House of Representatives, including Brad Lander, whom he ran against in the mayoral race. (The two endorsed one another in an effort to block Andrew Cuomo’s efforts.) He also endorsed local candidates Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez.
While Valdez is running for an open seat, Lander and Avila Chevalier are challenging Democratic incumbents, meaning the mayor’s efforts to shake up the race could be especially consequential. Avila Chevalier is taking on Adriano Espaillat, a fixture in local politics for decades and a U.S. representative since 2017.
In the 30-second spot, as the candidates tossed a basketball, they each made a singular campaign promise.
Lander said he would “block billionaires from buying our elections,” while Avila Chevalier said she will “abolish ICE” and Valdez vowed to “stand up to bad landlords and greedy corporations.”
At the end of the video, the ball is tossed back to Mamdani, who asserts, “This is the team”—telling voters that if they want an affordable city, the path to getting there is by electing these three public servants.
In a written statement, per The New York Times, Mamdani drew a comparison between the excitement over the Knicks and local politics in NYC.
“It’s a new era in Knicks’ basketball, and it’s time for the same in our politics too,” the mayor said. “Much like the Knicks, this slate embodies a fight, a selflessness, and a love of New York that will serve our city well.”
Hoop dreams
It’s not the first time that Mamdani has capitalized on recent Knicks mania. Earlier this week, surrounded by children, the mayor signed a mock executive order allowing kids across NYC to stay up late during Knicks games.
“Today, I signed an Executive Order temporarily repealing bedtimes in the City of New York so that kids of all ages can watch our team in the NBA Finals,” Mamdani wrote on the social platform X, reflecting on his playful gesture. “As Mayor, you’re forced to make many difficult decisions,” he added. “This was not one of them. Go Knicks.”
Both of Mamdani’s recent efforts are undeniably fun, but they also make for highly shareable media. This type of content, along with his cost-lowering efforts and his silly giggle, has become pretty much synonymous with his name.
The mayor earned popularity on his own campaign trail with inventive social media videos that leaned into simple, easy-to-digest messages that usually embraced the city’s culture and community.
That strategy catapulted him from a relatively unknown New York Assembly member from Queens to the highest office in America’s largest city. YouGov polling data collected during the first quarter of this year listed Mamdani among the most popular politicians in the country.
As New York City is brimming with excitement over the Knicks and their effort to beat the San Antonio Spurs—especially as the team came out victorious in Wednesday’s Game 1—it’s no surprise that the mayor is riding that energy and using it to further his message. It’s an easy shot that Mamdani simply had to take.
