Charles Oakley Blasts James Dolan After Fan Confrontation: 'The Commissioner Needs to Step In'

Oakley was arrested and forcibly removed from Madison Square Garden in February 2017.

Knicks owner James Dolan argued with a fan at Madison Square Garden before the end of New York's 102-94 loss to the Kings on Saturday, telling MSG security to escort the fan out of the arena. The incident has earned Dolan a fair share of criticism over the weekend, including from former Knicks forward Charles Oakley. 

“The commissioner needs to step in and do something, suspend him, something,” Oakley told The Athletic's Frank Isola. “He can’t keep getting away with it.”

Oakley has a rocky history with Dolan. He was arrested at Madison Square Garden in February 2017 and removed from his courtside seat after an apparent argument with New York's owner. Dolan referred to a potential alcohol problem for Oakley in a subsequent radio interview. Oakley then filed a civil lawsuit seeking damages for defamation, battery, false imprisonment.

“This man told the security guards to throw me out for no reason,” Oakley told Isola. “I was banned twice in eight months. If I’m such a bad guy, why do they let me into Nets games? Chicago offered me a job. I go to games in Chicago and Toronto. Look at what happened to me and the other fans in New York. It keeps happening yet there is no punishment.”

Oakley played in New York from 1988-98. He was an All-Star in 1993-94, earning All-Defense selections in 1993-94 and 1997-98.

The Knicks reached the postseason in all ten of Oakley's seasons with the franchise. They have not made the playoffs since 2013, currently sitting last in the East at 13–54.