Major lawsuits often attract attention not only for their main allegations but also for the smaller, surprising details that come to light. This was certainly the case with the 2007 lawsuit involving the New York Knicks and former employee Anucha Browne Sanders.
The lawsuit centered on a multimillion-dollar sexual harassment claim against then-Knicks head coach Isiah Thomas. However, the accusations went beyond that, indicating that “Zeke” was involved in additional inappropriate behavior.
Workplace allegations
Browne Sanders held the role as senior vice president of marketing and business operations for the Knicks. However, during her tenure with the franchise, which spanned from 2000 until early 2006, she reportedly endured repeated instances of inappropriate behavior from “Zeke.”
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According to her claims, the Detroit Pistons legend, who was working as a Knicks team president at the time, not only used offensive language but also made unwelcome physical advances, including unwanted kissing and touching.
Seeking resolution, Browne Sanders escalated her concerns to James Dolan, the then-owner of the franchise and head of Madison Square Garden. Yet, rather than investigating or addressing her allegations, he chose to terminate her employment, justifying the dismissal by alleging she had “failed to fulfill professional responsibilities.”
Refusing to accept this outcome, Anucha decided to challenge the decision legally. The then-42-year-old filed a lawsuit against MSG for wrongful termination and against Thomas for sexual harassment.
Shocking claims
When filing legal documents, Browne Sanders revealed more troubling behavior by the former NBA star, including an allegation that he encouraged the team’s dance choreographer to act inappropriately with game officials.
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Specifically, in her court filings, she described how Thomas allegedly told Petra Pope — the Knicks’ choreographer at the time — to charm and flirt with referees before a 2004 game against the New Jersey Nets.
“What she told me was that Isiah asked her to go into the referees’ locker room and make them happy,” testified Browne Sanders, per ESPN.
The claim about the Pistons icon’s instruction to “make them happy” was hard to prove for sure. The meaning of this phrase was very subjective and open to interpretation, so it was unclear what exactly was meant.
Ultimately, Browne Sanders’s lawsuit sought unspecified compensation and reinstatement to her former executive role within the Knicks organization. In August 2006, the lawsuit was expanded to include Dolan as a defendant.
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By early October, a jury found Thomas and Madison Square Garden responsible for sexual harassment. MSG was ordered to pay $11.6 million in punitive damages, but the then-head coach was not personally fined. Both defendants said they planned to appeal.
Still, the dispute ended when the Knicks announced in December 2007 that the lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount — later reported to be about $11.5 million — closing a difficult chapter in the franchise’s history.
Although there was no solid proof that “Zeke” indeed assigned those unethical and unprofessional tasks, the mere rumors played a major role in damaging his reputation at that time.
It also became yet another off-court controversy tied to Thomas’ tenure in the “Big Apple,” adding fuel to the narrative that his leadership, no matter how decorated on the court, struggled to translate cleanly into front-office or coaching success.