2023-08-22 00:10:02
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks sued the Toronto Raptors, their new coach and a former Knicks employee Monday alleging the defendants conspired to steal thousands of videos and other scouting secrets in recent weeks.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan, seeks unspecified damages and a ban on the distribution of the Knicks’ trade secrets.
The lawsuit claims those secrets include scouting and game reports, as well as a coaching book and a link to priceless software, and were downloaded thousands of times by Raptors employees.
“This material consists of secret, confidential information critical to the Knicks’ efforts to maintain a competitive advantage over their rivals, including the Raptors,” the lawsuit says.
The Knicks said the theft occurred in recent weeks following the Raptors hired and recruited a “spy” into the organization. The lawsuit identified the subject as Ikechukwu Azotam, who since August 2021 had been responsible for planning, organizing and distributing scouting video to New York coaching staff.
They blamed Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic, who was hired in June, as well as player development coach Noah Lewis, the team’s parent company — Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Limited — and 10 other unidentified Toronto employees.
The lawsuit claims they received confidential information and at times asked Azotam to misuse their access to information regarding the Knicks.
In a statement, the Raptors and the company that controls the team strongly denied any involvement in the reported issues.
They also acknowledged that Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and the Raptors were notified by the Knicks’ owner Thursday of the allegations, but had not received any lawsuits.
“MLSE responded quickly and made clear its intentions to conduct an internal investigation and to cooperate fully,” they added in the statement.
An email that the lawsuit mentions as belonging to Azotam with the Raptors was not receiving emails Monday.
In a statement, Madison Square Garden Sports acknowledged that it filed the lawsuit following Azotam made off with thousands of confidential documents following accepting a new position with the Raptors. The documents include a preparation book for the 2022-23 season.
“Given the clear violation of the labor contract, criminal and civil law, we had no choice but to take action,” the team added.
Azotam was hired in October 2020 as an assistant video coordinator and later became director of video analytics and assistant player development, the lawsuit added.
In June the Raptors began recruiting Azotam to assist the new coach, who was assembling his coaching staff and video operation.
Azotam notified the Knicks in late July that he was leaving, and his last day was Aug. 14. The Knicks’ security team discovered the theft last Tuesday, according to the lawsuit.
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