‘Embarrassing!’ James Dolan & Charles Oakley Rev Up Knicks Feud
Six years later, new chapters continue to be written in the New York Knicks civil war between team owner James Dolan and fan favorite Charles Oakley.
Dolan and Oakley's feud originated in February 2017 during a Knicks game against the Los Angeles Clippers. In a widely-viewed incident, Oakley was ejected from Madison Square Garden and his removal led to a physical confrontation with MSG security and event staff.
The incident was revisited in a New York Times profile on Dolan, who is preparing for next week's opening of the highly-publicized orb-shaped live entertainment venue on the Las Vegas Strip known as the Sphere. Interviewed by Times reporter Katherine Rosman, Dolan appeared to have no regrets over how the Oakley ejection was handled.
“I wish I could change Charles Oakley," Dolan said when asked if he wished he could change anything about the situation, which has yielded an ongoing legal battle.
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The 68-year-old owner of the Knicks and the NHL's New York Rangers views the incident as "a principle kind of thing” and an example of MSG protecting its employees. That's also the reason, Dolan continued, that fans holding signs that implore him to sell the Knicks/Rangers are likewise removed,
“If you held up a sign that says, you know, ‘Play better, this team stinks’ you can do that. That’s part of being a fan," Dolan said. "('Sell the team' signs) are directed at, on a personal basis, the guy who’s in charge — me.”
In what was described as "a brief phone interview," Rosman followed up with Oakley, currently serving as the head coach of the Killer 3's, a team in the BIG3 league run by entertainer Ice Cube and former NBA star Clyde Drexler.
“That’s embarrassing for him to say that,” Oakley countered. “He is the one who should handle himself better.”
Oakley, a Knick for 10 seasons (1988-98) and a vocal critic of Dolan's management of the team, was arrested over the incident and charged with misdemeanor counts of assault, aggravated harassment, and trespassing. The 1994 NBA All-Star says there was no reason for his ejection while a statement from the Knicks released that night said that Oakley "behaved in a highly inappropriate and completely abusive manner."
