Former NBA center Timofey Mozgov didn’t hold back when talking about his brief time with the New York Knicks and more specifically, his distaste for the city itself. Appearing on the Jao Mile podcast, the 7-foot Russian big man opened up about why living in New York never suited him, describing it as chaotic, cluttered, and far from glamorous.
Mozgov, who made his NBA debut with the Knicks during the 2010–11 season, said he enjoyed playing for the team but struggled to adapt to life in the Big Apple. The issue, according to him, wasn’t the basketball or the fans, it was the city’s overwhelming dirt and disorganization.
“When we talk about the city, everybody kept telling me, I wasn’t there for like three years, maybe two or three years ago, they said it’s changed a little bit now. They say Trump cleaned it a bit, changed some things.”
“But still, you walk through the middle of the city where an apartment costs like ten million dollars, and right outside, there’s a pile of trash, like 10-15 bags just sitting there. It’s crazy.” “I know how they built the city back in the day; they didn’t really think about where the trash goes or how to move it. It’s just wild.”
“They say it’s cleaner now, but to me, it’s always dirty. When I was in New York, I didn’t really live in the city. You basically live up north a little bit, so you only go in sometimes. I mean, there are some guys who choose to live right in New York, but me with my wife, we just lived like regular Americans, out in the suburbs.”
It’s a striking image, luxury apartments worth millions, overshadowed by heaps of garbage. Mozgov said it was one of the first things that shocked him when he arrived in New York.
For a player coming from Russia, where urban life is structured differently and waste management is often handled out of public view, the contrast was jarring. Mozgov said that while many players choose to live downtown to enjoy the city’s energy, he preferred the peace of the suburbs.
Despite playing for one of the NBA’s most storied franchises, Mozgov admitted that the off-court lifestyle was too overwhelming. He praised the Knicks organization, noting how well the team treated him and how welcoming the staff was. But when it came to the city itself, he made it clear he never connected with it.
His comments reflect a sentiment that several former Knicks players have shared over the years, that the pressure and pace of New York can be more draining than inspiring. For Mozgov, who was only 24 when he entered the league, that transition proved difficult.
While many see New York as the dream destination home of Madison Square Garden, flashing lights, and endless opportunity, Mozgov’s experience highlights the other side of the city. Beneath the glamour and basketball mystique lies the reality of cramped streets, overflowing garbage, and relentless noise.
In the end, Mozgov’s brief stint with the Knicks served as a cultural awakening more than a career highlight. He later found success elsewhere, winning an NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, a far cry from his early frustrations in Manhattan.
For some players, the bright lights of New York City represent basketball heaven. For Timofey Mozgov, they just illuminated how messy it can really be.
