New York Knicks suing Toronto Raptors for stealing scouting reports and trade secrets


New York Knicks suing Toronto Raptors for stealing scouting reports and trade secrets

The New York Knicks are suing fellow NBA franchise the Toronto Raptors for allegedly hiring a mole who passed the Knicks’ scouting reports and trade secrets on to the Raptors. 

Ikechukwu Azotam was employed by the Knicks as a video, analytics and player-development assistant but left the franchise last week after they believed they had discovered that he had been leaking files and trade secrets to the Raptors. Azotam was hired in 2020 but the Knicks believe he only started passing information to the Raptors in June 2023 when the Toronto franchise appointed former Memphis Grizzlies assistance coach Darko Rajakovic as head coach. 

Rajakovic, Azotam and several unidentified Raptors employees are named as defendants with the lawsuit stating “As a first time NBA head coach, Defendant Rajakovic would be expected to bring his own organizational structure and coaching method. Apparently, given his non-traditional path to his head coaching job, Defendant Rajakovic did not have his own, so he chose to exploit the Knicks' methods.”

A spokesperson for the Knicks' parent company MSG Sports said that “given the clear violation of our employment agreement, criminal and civil law, we were left no choice but to take this action.” The Raptors are yet to respond to the allegations. 

You may also like

View All

Sport Resolutions launches refreshed strategy to support its sustainable growth and integrity in sport

Sport Resolutions is pleased to announce the launch of its refreshed company strategy, developed in response to continued growth within our organisation and the wider evolution of the sporting landscape

Read More

Prevention programmes believe ACL injuries in women’s football can be reduced by half

Prevention programmes believe training and technology could possibly resolve frequent torn anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) in women’s football by half or more

Read More

Sport Resolutions invites applications for the roles of Chair and Member(s) of the ITF Ethics Commission

Sport Resolutions is seeking independent individuals to serve as Chair and Member(s) of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Ethics Commission, playing a key role in upholding ethical standards and promoting good governance in international tennis

Read More

Newsletter Signup

Please enter your email address below: