It was just a matter of time until Oak told his side of the story.
After a can’t-take-your-eyes-away moment that will live in Knicks infamy on Wednesday night, Charles Oakley, a former main attraction at Madison Square Garden, spent hours in prison as NBA Twitter exploded.
“Charles Oakley arrested?!”
“Oak fought how many security members at MSG?!”
Naturally, video emerged from hoards of fans in the area. It was an ugly scene, with no true understanding of how it started. The Knicks painted Oakley as a man who needed help, and past stories showed an estranged relationship between the ex-player and Knicks owner James Dolan.
By the time the dust settled, the 19-year NBA veteran had been charged with three counts of assault and trespassing.
Oakley had the chance to explain his side of the story, per Frank Isola of the Daily News.
“I was there for four minutes,” Oakley said late Wednesday night. “I didn’t say anything to him. I swear on my mother. They came over and wanted to know why I was sitting there. I bought the ticket. I said why do you guys keep staring at me. Then they asked me to leave. And I said I’m not leaving”
Later, the Instagram account for Jimmy’s Eat Drink Party in New York City put out a video in which Oakley described a similar account and talked about how much he loved the Knicks franchise.
#CHARLESOAKLEY #NyKnicks #Jimmy’s
In his mind, the only crime he committed on Wednesday night was buying tickets with friends to watch his favorite basketball team.
Joe Giglio may be reached at jgiglio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoeGiglioSports. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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