Winning by Conceding.

This essay appeared in the June 11, 2026 edition of UNFTR’s premium newsletter. Become a UNFTR member to receive our bonus newsletter each week and for other perks. Update: KNICKS WON!!!!!!

When Zohran Mamdani, an avid Knicks supporter, clinched the NYC mayoralty last year by toppling a political scion and self-made king, it represented much more than a single victory. The previously little-known state legislator, initially polling at barely 1 percent, had to create a movement from the ground up, block by block, borough by borough (maybe not Staten Island), uniting a seemingly moribund political left in a city subsumed by corrupting greed and the presumed power that comes with such plunder.

The magic of the Mamdani campaign was not in its social media prowess or ability to generate viral moment after viral moment, but in how it exposed the true nature of power and where it resides.

Indeed, he had a great message, he stuck to it, never wavered. He smiled—a lot. He cried as sputtering corporatists tried to turn his religion against him, igniting a new wave of Islamophobia. But that’s not why he defeated Andrew Cuomo, the seemingly forever governor of New York, who had resigned in shame amid threats of impeachment.

Mamdani, to be sure, won by conceding.

The campaign was theirs, not his. Same with the movement it spawned. By yielding, he restored individual dignity and reinstalled the belief in community—even in a city so sprawling that it sometimes smothers, intensely.

“Tonight, against all odds, we have grasped it,” Mamdani said in his victory speech on the night of his election. “The future is in our hands.”

 

“We will fight for you,” he added, “because we are you.”

Whether you were on the streets or watching from afar, you knew the fabric of the city was, piece by piece, being sewn back together. And this sense of the connective tissue being repaired seemed to transcend politics.

If you can make it here—sure that will resonate for generations. But for this one, “We are you,” would do just fine.

It’s been said that this country is tearing itself apart, ostensibly through political grievances. But we know unfettered capitalism is the source of such decay, both socially and personally. It’s the ultimate de-unifying force in the galaxy—ripping a black hole through our lived existence.

Just as Mamdani became a beam of sunshine—disinfectant, some would say—for many, so too is the NBA team he feverishly supports.

Generally, it takes a tragedy to unite a city, town, or country. Something so visceral that nothing else matters—so raw that the human soul only knows one thing: Seek community, don’t be alone. Remarkably, thousands have found hope, joy and youthful giddiness in a team of millionaires who, like Mamdani, are winning by conceding.

Sure, they know how to spread the ball around—but, more importantly, they give way to each other, and all those tortured fans that stick with their team in the same way they hold onto their city. And like Mamdani, it has not only engendered a wave of genuine enthusiasm but sparked a movement.

It’s why, in this transcendental state, the Knicks diminutive star player can be asked after a big win: “Which one is most important for you, a championship, being MVP or peaceful celebration and peace [in] the entire world?”

With these Knicks, everyone, no matter who you are or where you put your head down at night, looks up and sees orange and blue skies.

We are you.

Did Mamdani inspire a sports run for the ages? Probably not. Is it a coincidence? Only the cosmos knows that answer.

All we know is that a people starved for dignity found some. And a city starved for a reason to celebrate collectively has discovered that, too.

If you have the extraordinary fortune of being able to witness this moment, it’ll likely stick with you for the rest of your life. The smiles—oh, man, the smiles. New York, as they say, is outside, as one.

Mamdani? As the Knicks were putting the finishing touches on the most stunning comeback in NBA Finals history, he was spotted among the masses inside a nondescript New York City bar. With his arms raised and shaking uncontrollably, a smiling Mamdani let out a cheerful roar. He pumped his fist. He joined in the chants of “Let’s Go Knicks!” He clapped and buried his face in his hands. This time he was the one rejoicing in someone else’s victory.

We are you. The future mayor who started at a measly 1 percent. The beloved underdog basketball team who defied math and laws of the universe en route to a historic victory, putting them one win away from the Knicks’ first NBA title in 53 years. Their paths colliding, proving that in politics, sports, and life, nothing is impossible.

The future, as an upstart mayor once said, is in your hands.

Image Source

• Tzim78, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Changes were made.