The New York Knicks reached the lowest point of their season February 8 when team legend Charles Oakley was arrested inside the Madison Square Garden. He was then banned from the arena by Knicks owner James Dolan.
Many Knicks fans and current and former NBA players were very upset by the treatment of Oakley. The 53-year-old legend is known for his dedication and support of the team through all the hard times and good under the Dolan regime.
Charlotte Hornets owner and NBA legend Michael Jordan held a meeting with NBA commissioner Adam Silver, Oakley and Dolan on February 13 at the league headquarters in New York City, per ESPN. The Knicks owner also lifted the MSG ban on Oakley the same day.
It should be noted that Oakley and Jordan are close personal friends. They were teammates with the Chicago Bulls during MJ's early years. The Bulls trade Oakley to the Knicks in 1988 and he went on to play ten seasons in New York.
However, Oakley wants Dolan to apologize to him and the Knicks fan publicly. He told the New York Times that he still hurt by the incident last week, which many people consider as one of the most embarrassing moments in Knicks history.
"I want to have a press conference, and I want him to apologize to me and the fans. There's a swimming pool full of water; it takes a while when you drain it," Oakley said.
The animosity between Oakley and Dolan started when the former started criticizing ownership about the Knicks failures over the last decade. The Knicks were the laughing stock of the NBA from 2004 to 2010 before reaching relevancy at the start of this decade.
The Knicks went back to their old ways four years ago and they are heading for a fourth straight losing season. The incident between Oakley and Dolan highlights a disappointing season that started really well.
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