The New York Knicks have lifted a ban prohibiting team legend Charles Oakley from Madison Square Garden, according to reports.
But that’s not enough for Oakley, who was ejected from the venue and arrested last Wednesday after a scuffle in his seat, near team president James Dolan.
He wants an apology.
ESPN reports:
“It’s not about being at the Garden,” Oakley told ESPN’s Jeff Goodman. “It’s about the fans. I want them to apologize to the fans. I told the commissioner I want them to apologize to the fans.”
Oakley said he is “in pain now. I’m hurt.”
On Tuesday, Oakley and Dolan met with NBA commissioner Adam Silver at league headquarters, with basketball legend Michael Jordan participating by phone, the league said in a statement. It said both Dolan and Oakley apologized for Wednesday’s situation and the fallout since.
Dolan later said Oakley was thrown out because he was being verbally abusive to security. Oakley denied this.
Dolan, in interviews after the incident, hinted that Oakley has a drinking problem. A tweet from the KnicksPR verified account seemed to take a veiled shot at Oakley:
pic.twitter.com/EebgCEqQxC
— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) February 9, 2017
Dolan announced on Friday that the Oakley was prohibited from entering the arena indefinitely. Subsequently, the team owner had a change of heart, according to a tweet from The Undefeated:
BREAKING @TheUndefeated: Just received a text from someone very close to @CharlesOakley34 who says Madison Square Garden ban is over. #Oak
— Mike Wise (@MikeWiseguy) February 14, 2017
Sources with Madison Square Garden and Oakley have confirmed that the ban was lifted.
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