Charles Oakley Rips Patrick Ewing for Attending Knicks Games Amid James Dolan Lawsuit

Charles Oakley hasn't been to MSG since 2017 when he was ejected after a confrontation with MSG security.

Oakley and Ewing chat in 2016 before the MSG incident. / Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images

Note: A previous version of this post incorrectly stated Oakley was engaged in a 2017 confrontation with Knicks owner James Dolan. The physical confrontation was with security, not Dolan.

As the New York Knicks have made their deepest run in the NBA playoffs since 1999-00, New York has been absolutely loving it. Celebrities have adorned courtside seats at MSG much like they always do, but the possibility of a trip to the NBA Finals has brought out former Knicks players in droves as well.

One person not in attendance is former Knicks All-Star Charles Oakley, who was arrested and ejected from MSG in 2017 after a confrontation with security at a game. Oakley was invited back to attend games last postseason, but denied the opportunity while he awaits an apology and lawsuit resolution from James Dolan and his company, The Madison Square Garden Company. The lawsuit has been dismissed and reinstated a few times.

His former teammate Patrick Ewing has been present at recent games, and Oakley is taking exception to that.

Talking to Jim Jackson on his show, here's what he had to say about Ewing:

"The ones I played with who got some power, I thought would be Patrick [Ewing], but he didn't step up. I hold him more responsible than anybody else. He's supposed to be our franchise player. I played with him for 10 years. ... You've got to speak up for me. He hasn't spoke up yet so I'm gonna let it just play out. I would love to be there, I know the fans would love me to be there," Oakley said.

"[Ewing] should have called me and talked to me like a man when this happened. Never done that. ... He's never been the guy who, when we was down and out... in playoff games and regular season games, you know never stepped up so maybe I shouldn't expect him to step up so much now."

He clarified he doesn't fault the Knicks players in attendance that he didn't play with, but clearly takes major exception to those from his era, Ewing in particular, who are at the games. He also said he felt hurt that he heard from competitors like Reggie Miller and Michael Jordan after the 2017 incident, but not from Ewing, who was his teammate.

"All the other guys I went to war with, they spoke up, but guys I played with [didn't]."

For what it's worth, Michael Rapaport said he stopped getting Knicks tickets from the team after he voiced support for Oakley.

Certainly unfortunate to see such icons from Knicks lore to have verbal hostility with one another. Even if the Knicks can force a Game 7 with a win Saturday night, don't expect Oakley to be in attendance at Madison Square Garden.

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