Charles Oakley was banned from Madison Square Garden for all of a few days.
Mike Wise of The Undefeated reported on Tuesday that Oakley’s ban has been lifted by James Dolan and the New York Knicks.
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
Oakley’s original “ban” came after he got into a physical altercation with some security guards last week. The situation has turned into a public relations nightmare for Dolan, as Knicks fans have taunted their owner over his treatment of a fan favorite who played with the team for a decade.
Oakley, who has long expressed frustration with the state of the Knicks, has accused Dolan for years of having a bias against him. After Oakley was escorted out of Madison Square Garden and arrested last week, the Knicks suggested he has an alcohol abuse problem and needs “help.” The team’s press releases only angered fans further, and Oakley told the New York Daily News on Monday that he was unsure if he wanted to reconcile with Dolan because “some of the things that were said about me hurt.”
Perhaps the mediation assistance from two of the NBA’s most influential figures resulted in Oakley and Dolan burying the hatchet. Whatever the case, Oakley is apparently welcome at Knicks games again.
