A 2017 game at MSG sparked a feud that continues to put New York Knicks icon Charles Oakley and owner James Dolan at loggerheads. Amid the legal disputes, NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, and a former teammate, Michael Jordan, have already tried to catalyze a truce, but to Oakley, only a public apology could end this saga. Meanwhile, Knicks fans are missing the legend as the NBA Finals head to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 on Monday. And turns out, they are not alone.

“THE FINALS CANNOT BEGIN WITHOUT CHARLES OAKLEY IN THE BUILDING. BRING HIM BACK TO THE GARDEN,” a user @realpeterock posted on Instagram.

What was more surprising was that Shaquille O’Neal shared this post, given the past the two have shared.

Shaq and Oakley had many run-ins during their playing time. So much so that the latter once confronted the 7-ft-1 O’Neal during a game before his teammate Michael Jordan diffused the situation. However, they soon worked out their differences.

“Shaq is all right. You know, we had a couple of run-ins. I mean, we straightened them out,” Oakley once said about the rivalry with Shaq. Yet, as the player very well known for his years in New York continues to avoid the iconic stadium, even O’Neal wanted to show support.

The feud began in the Knicks’ game against the LA Clippers in 2017. Then, Oakley apparently said something to the guard and Dolan and was effectively removed from the arena in handcuffs. While many around him continued to wonder what had happened, the MSG chimed in chants of “Oakley! Oakley!”

The former Knicks star faced three assault charges, and his entry to the MSG was revoked. Since then, Oakley has continued to fight for the apology he deserves, rejecting any invitation to attend a game in the Garden. Apparently, Oakley and Dolan already had a contentious relationship, and it only got worse nine years ago.

Following his release from the Midtown South Precinct, Charles Oakley spoke about the incident.

“What happened is me and four friends went to the game tonight, to watch the Knicks and Clippers. We did sit down, trying to have a good time. Next thing I know, I was asked to leave the building,” he said. “I asked, ‘Why?’ and they said, ‘You have to leave because someone ordered you to leave.’ And I’m like, ‘I’ve been here four and a half minutes.’

“I’m a Knicks fan, played here 10 years. I love the Knicks. I love New York. This is my heart. I wish them all the luck and success on the basketball court. I don’t know why I’m not welcome into the Garden.”

According to the NYPD, Charles Oakley had knocked out three MSG employees. All of them suffered minor injuries. But while Dolan & Co. had banned Oakley from MSG back then, the restriction was informally lifted in 2018, but Oakley refused to return.

“I guess their lawyer called my lawyer saying it’s a good time for you to come back to the Garden,” he said in 2024. “They’ve got to apologize. We’ll go from there. Can [Dolan] be man enough to say, ‘Mistakes happen.’ And he made one.”

In fact, Adam Silver claimed that he and Michael Jordan tried to mediate the rift, but Oakley clapped back.

Charles Oakley calls out Adam Silver’s claims

Ahead of NBA Finals Game 1 between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs, Commissioner Adam Silver said that he and Michael Jordan tried to resolve the 9-year-old tiff between Charles Oakley and James Dolan.

“It is a shame,” said the commissioner before the NBA Finals Game 1. “I tried, Michael Jordan tried, to broker peace between Charles Oakley & Jim Dolan. Our efforts were unsuccessful. I think it’s unfortunate for the NBA that this is an ongoing situation, but it’s currently wrapped up in litigation. I tried my best; I don’t really see anything else I can do at the moment”.

Oakley didn’t take any of this lightly.

“I want to talk about the commissioner lying again. The commissioner talking about him and Michael Jordan. Well, he’s throwing Michael Jordan under the bus. That’s what he really doing. He’s acting like they just talked yesterday,” the 62-year-old said on TMZ Sports’ Open Mike.

“He coming back from 2017 when we met with that guy from New York, Michael, and himself. He acting like he solved a problem.” Oakley added. “He went to the public in 2017 and said we met and we came to an agreement that it’s over with. Now he gets to make another statement about that, but you never solved the problem in 2017. ‘Cause it’s years later now and it’s still going on.”

Well, amidst the demands of a return and supposed false stories, Charles Oakley is likely never going to come back to MSG.