“Dolan is a bad guy & a motherfucker” – Oakley
It looks like the New York Knickerbockers need another tabloid story for the week, to move attention from the Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony trade drama. During the team’s Wednesday night meeting against the Los Angeles Clippers, action transitioned from the court to the stands, as James Dolan confronted legendary NYC great Charles Oakley in the low-end stands.
Apparently, the owner of Knickerbockers asked Oakley why he was at the game, and Charles said he legally purchased a ticket to enjoy the night. Well, James asked the goon to leave MSG and called up security to escort him away from Penn Plaza. Attention moved immediately from the game, which a timeout was called to make sure the situation was handled.
Building security and officers would eventually throw Oakley to the ground and handcuff him outside the infamous tunnel; but this was before Charles threw an open-handed slap to one of the staff members. Luckily, it wasn’t a closed-fist, or this situation would’ve been way worse – as fans around the arena began to immediately cheer his name in support.
In a statement issued by the NYPD after the game, Oakley allegedly punched three male MSG employees in the altercation; and was charged with three counts of third-degree assault, one count of criminal trespass and a third-degree misdemeanor.
The 54-year-old was taken to the Midtown South Precinct and was released shortly after at midnight. LeBron James even chimed in his own support of Oakley, with a post on his Instagram page.
Take a look at the televised video above and the raw video below.
Soooooo Charles Oakley just got into a fight at he Knicks game. pic.twitter.com/klZBD89VI7
— Ian Schafer (@ischafer) February 9, 2017
Oakley tells his side of the story
“I shouldn’t have put my hands on anyone, but how [the New York Knicks] are saying it happened isn’t how it happened.
I was there for four minutes – four minutes – when security came up to me. I was sitting right there by John McEnroe and doing nothing. I only got mad when they told me I couldn’t stay and they start surrounding me. Whenever I go to the Garden now, security has been told to inform him immediately. Last year against Charlotte, I went to a game and a bunch of security people came up to me right away and told me not to walk around, stay where I am. He just doesn’t want me in the building.”