NEW ORLEANS — When Charles Oakley got up to leave an hour early from the NBA Legends Brunch on Sunday, he walked over to Adam Silver’s table, whispered in the NBA commissioner’s ear for a few moments and shook his hand.
It is clear Silver and Oakley are in ongoing conversations to try to repair the public-relations damage created by Oakley’s arrest at the Garden 11 days ago and his ongoing feud with Knicks owner James Dolan.
Silver said Saturday night he would continue to help if he could after his meeting last Monday with the parties resulted in pushing the sides farther apart — with Oakley escalating his attacks.
Rev. Jesse Jackson, attending the brunch, told The Post he also spoke with Oakley and Dolan the day before Silver’s meeting, an incident that carried racial overtones in its aftermath.
Dolan, later compared by Oakley to disgraced former Clippers owner Donald Sterling, lifted his Garden ban and invited him to the arena as a guest. Rather than accept, Oakley ratcheted up the rhetoric, saying it could take years to heal the wounds.
“I talked with Dolan and Charles Oakley,’’ Jackson said. “When we can, we should resolve conflicts that can be resolved. It’s best to continue on that path. That’s for him to decide, but given how much turmoil in the world today, we must constantly seek reconciliation.’’
All eyes were on Oakley as about 150 past NBA stars gathered in a packed ballroom filled with 1,000 people. The warm-up act was comedian/TV star Anthony Anderson, who singled out only two players for his routine — Magic Johnson and Oakley.
“Is Oakley in the room?,’’ Anderson bellowed. “Just want to tell you this is a safe place. You can yell at whoever you want to in here.’’
As Oakley looked to leave, he spent another half-hour posing for photos and chatting up fans in the lobby area outside the ballroom. Oakley told one lanky 6-foot-11 high-school prospect: “You got to put on 40 pounds’’ and advised him to ferociously chase after loose balls and rebounds.
“Just go after the ball — if something happens — so be it,” he said.
NBA legends George Gervin and Dominique Wilkins came out of the ballroom to give Oakley a goodbye hug. Oakley arrived at the event with the troubled Jayson Williams, his buddy with whom he helps volunteer at rehab facilities. That is one reason Oakley was incensed at Dolan for insinuating he’s an alcoholic with anger-management issues.
On the fateful night, Oakley cursed out security workers and staffers because they were staring at him when he got to his seat. That led security to approach and ask him to leave. A scuffle ensued with security and police dragging him out in handcuffs.
“Both are grown men,’’ Gervin said. “They’ll work it out. Mr. Dolan is going to work it out. I just believe that. Life is about recovery. They’ll recover.’’
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