Knicks and Raptors End 2023 Lawsuit Alleging Data Theft
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The New York Knicks and the Toronto Raptors have jointly asked a federal judge to dismiss with prejudice the lawsuit the Knicks filed in August 2023 over the alleged theft of confidential scouting and analytics material.
According to a filing in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, both organizations withdrew all claims, effectively closing the case. In a statement provided to ESPN, representatives for the Knicks and Raptors owner Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment said, “The Parties are focused on the future.”
Original Complaint Exceeded $10 Million
The Knicks had sought more than $10 million in damages, alleging that former employee Ikechukwu Azotam copied thousands of proprietary files before leaving New York’s video and analytics staff for a position with Toronto in summer 2023. The suit named the Raptors, Azotam, head coach Darko Rajaković, player development coach Noah Lewis, and 10 unidentified staffers as defendants.
New York claimed Azotam forwarded material—including scouting reports, play frequency breakdowns, a “prep book,” and a link to third-party software—from his team email to his personal account shortly after receiving Toronto’s job offer. The filing also asserted that Raptors personnel directed him to use the Knicks’ Synergy Sports account to create and transfer more than 3,000 video and data files.
The Knicks said they discovered the transfers on Aug. 15, 2023, and asserted that the Raptors accessed the files over 2,000 times while reorganizing their coaching and video operations ahead of Rajaković’s first season as an NBA head coach.
Raptors Rejected Allegations
In an October 2023 response, Toronto labeled the claims “baseless” and characterized the lawsuit as a public-relations maneuver, arguing the information in question was largely compiled from sources available to every NBA club.
The dispute later moved to NBA arbitration after a judge’s ruling. With the voluntary dismissal now in place, no further court or league action is expected.
Source: Basketball Insiders
