Isiah Thomas sued for sexual harassment

ap viamsnbc ^ | Updated: 3:20 a.m. ET Jan. 25, 2006 | ap

[RedBloodedAmerican]

NEW YORK - New York Knicks team president Isiah Thomas is accused of sexual harassment and discrimination by one of the team’s former front-office employees in a federal lawsuit. Anucha Browne Sanders claims Thomas made unwanted sexual advances toward her and refused to stop, according to the lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan. Thomas and Madison Square Garden are listed as the defendants in the lawsuit, which charges them with sex discrimination and retaliation. Browne Sanders, who had been with the team since 2000, claims she was fired as the Knicks’ senior vice president of marketing and business operations last week as a result of her complaints. Ron Green, a lawyer for Madison Square Garden, told the New York Times that the lawsuit is “fabricated and outrageous.” He said in a story posted on the newspaper’s Web site early Wednesday that Browne Sanders was fired “because of an inability to fulfill professional responsibilities,” and said she is seeking “a financial windfall.” Lawyers for Thomas, Peter Parcher and Sue Ellen Eisenberg, called the lawsuit an attempt to make money and accused her of demanding $6 million upon her departure, more than 20 times her salary.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Didnt see this posted

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Knicks Senior Vice President, Marketing and Business Operations Anucha Browne Sanders was elevated to her current position in the spring of 2002 after joining the organization as Vice President of Marketing on Nov. 20, 2000.

The Brooklyn, New York native is responsible for the day-to-day management of the business side of the Knicks front office and serves as the team’s chief marketing officer. She oversees all of the club’s business activities and revenue streams, including partnerships, ticketing, fan development, field marketing, event presentation, community relations, special events and new media. She also works closely with MSG’s other sports properties - the New York Rangers and New York Liberty - in finding new and innovative ways to integrate the three very distinct and highly successful brands and is the primary liaison between the team and the NBA. Her professional success has not gone unnoticed, as she was named to the Sports Business Journal’s “Forty Under Forty” list in 2003, honoring the top 40 professionals in the sports field under 40 years old. She was also honored for her work (along with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton), by Greater New York Links, Inc. an organization comprised of 11,000 African-American women nationwide, and has been a featured speaker at numerous sports marketing conferences and seminars ranging from the Harvard Business School to the Active 2002 Sport and Recreation Industry Conference in western Australia. Most recently, Anucha was honored with the 2004 Miracle Award by The Miracle Makers, a not-for-profit family and children’s services group in New York.

Prior to joining the Knicks, Anucha spent 11 years with IBM Corporation, serving in a number of roles, most recently as a Program Manager in IBM’s Worldwide Sports Office. In that capacity, she was responsible for a number of IBM’s marketing efforts during the Olympic Games (Atlanta 1996, Nagano 1998 and Sydney 2000), including corporate sponsorship efforts that allowed IBM to leverage their investment as a Worldwide Olympic sponsor.

The Northwestern University graduate was no stranger to success on the hardwood. She was a three-time All Big Ten selection and two-time Big Ten Player of the Year for the Wildcats, finishing her career as the all-time leading scorer in Big Ten women’s basketball history, as well as the school’s all-time leader in points (2,307) and rebounds (951). The two-time Wade Trophy nominee and 1985 Kodak All-American also led the nation in scoring with a school record 31.5 ppg in 1984-85. She was also selected to play on the U.S. National Team that toured Europe and Asia following her graduation. Her long list of athletic honors includes being selected Northwestern’s Athlete of the Decade for the ‘80’s and being inducted to the Wildcats Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993. She was also honored by the Empire State Games as one of it’s top athlete’s of the first 25 years the competition has been in existence, in the summer of 2002.

Among her numerous philanthropic activities, Anucha serves on the board of Children’s Village, a private, New York State, not-for-profit corporation that provides aid, comfort and hope to over 80,000 children. She also traveled to Southern Asia this past summer to assist the victims of the tsunami with their recovery and rebuilding efforts as part of a trip organized by Phillips Exeter Academy. Anucha holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Communications from Northwestern, and a Masters degree in Marketing Communications from Florida State University. She resides with her husband Roy and their three children in New Jersey.

[Always Right]

He said in a story posted on the newspaper’s Web site early Wednesday that Browne Sanders was fired “because of an inability to fulfill professional responsibilities,”

Oh, that's what you call them, 'professional responsibilities'.

[frankjr]

"Anucha"

Gesundheit.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Personally I doubt Thomas would do this. I am curious as to why she left IBM.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

LOL My mental image was a giant snake.

[Always Right]

[RedBloodedAmerican]

"Browne Sanders was fired “because of an inability to fulfill professional responsibilities,” "

Sounds like she is trying to get back at him for a black mark on her resume'. Just my 2 cents. I hope that's all it is.

[frankjr]

Why would a handsome rich man like Isiah Thomas hit on an ugly broad? She looks like Aunt Esther.

[kjam22]

She's the senior vice president of Marketing for the New York Knicks..... and $6 million is more than 20 times her salary?

[Always Right]

Personally I doubt Thomas would do this. I am curious as to why she left IBM.

I am sure there are two sides of the story. It is hard to say what a person may or may not do either for sex or for money/revenenge.

[Always Right]

President Reagan got shot the same day that picture was taken.

[kentj]

She looks real mad and very harrassed in this photo - I bet it is all just a big misunderstanding - I mean my Brother in Law "Dreams"of being sexually harrassed by Jessica Simpson but he has yet to file suit he is still hoping they can work it out.

Maybe that is what has happened here??? Do ya think?

[baltoga]

Certainly troubling. The allegations are possible, but what I find troubling is the blurb to move games to Sunday noon and get the opposing players drunk at strip clubs - certainly far-fetched, but if this is business as usual in the NBA then I say "give them hell girl!"

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I think she could fold Isiah up like a pocket knife and toss him across a room if he tried any shenanigans.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I lost interest in the NBA when players started making so much money that they lost their drive to play. Tim Duncan is the last of the decent guys, IMO.

[Tx Angel]

I always take these claims w/ a grain of salt. Appears to be a trend these days to yell sexual harassment.

That being said, she seems to have a pretty impressive resume. Seems like a credible character.

[ShadowDancer]

I realize anything is possible but thinking of Thomas doing this is way off my reality radar.

[Tx Angel]

Thats just rude.

[Always Right]

Certainly troubling. The allegations are possible, but what I find troubling is the blurb to move games to Sunday noon and get the opposing players drunk at strip clubs - certainly far-fetched, but if this is business as usual in the NBA then I say "give them hell girl!"

Well when Jordan was in town, he would head over to an Indian Reservation in Connecticut to gamble.