A spokesperson for Madison Square Garden has stated that former New York Knicks player Charles Oakley has not been extended an invitation to return to the arena, despite Oakley's claims that he had received an offer to do so. Oakley has not attended a Knicks game since his arrest in 2017 following an altercation with MSG security officials who asked him to leave his seat near owner James Dolan.
In 2018, Oakley was cleared of misdemeanor assault charges related to the incident. Since then, he has sought to bring assault and battery claims against MSG and Dolan, with an amended lawsuit being filed just last month.
While Oakley mentioned to the press that he believed there was an offer for him to join other former Knicks players like Stephon Marbury and Latrell Sprewell at MSG during playoff games, he insisted that he would not return until an apology was issued. Oakley stated, 'I guess their lawyer called my lawyer saying it's a good time for you to come back to the Garden. They've got to apologize. We'll go from there. Can [Dolan] be man enough to say, mistakes happen. And he made one.'
However, MSG has refuted Oakley's claim of receiving an invitation, asserting that no such offer was made. The organization released a statement expressing its expectation for Oakley's latest lawsuit to be dismissed, emphasizing that the matter should be resolved by now.
Oakley played a significant role for the Knicks from 1988 to 1998, contributing to the team's appearance in the NBA Finals. Despite the ongoing legal disputes, MSG remains confident that the case will be ultimately dismissed.
This situation continues to unfold as Oakley and MSG navigate their legal proceedings, with the outcome yet to be determined.
