Charles Oakley rooting for Knicks to reach finals despite MSG exile

There is someone for everyone.Bill Bradley and Walt Frazier come to Madison Square Garden, representing the Knicks’ golden age.Bernard King is a fixture in the crowd, the apex of individual brilliance.

Patrick Ewing pumps up fans on the jumbotron, joined courtside by teammates (John Starks, Larry Johnson, Allan Houston, Latrell Sprewell) of a perennial contender.Carmelo Anthony and Stephon Marbury cheer on the current Knicks like the kids brought up in Brooklyn.Charles Oakley watches on TV, apart from the alumni taking part in the team’s best playoff run in 25 years.Eight-plus years removed from Oakley’s infamous ejection from the Garden — following a 2017 altercation with arena security guards — one of the most popular players in franchise history doesn’t feel welcome inside his former home.

He was initially banned by owner James Dolan after the 2017 incident.Though Oakley is no longer banned, he chooses not to visit.“That’s up to two people, [Adam Silver, NBA] Commissioner and the guy who owns the team, but there’s a lot of things you can’t control in life,” Oakley said at the 19th annual BTIG Charity Day in Manhattan.

“I played there for 10 years, the fans let me know [how they felt] when I played there, and I tried to show them love every time I could.Win or lose, I showed that I was willing to fight.” Sign up for Inside the Knicks by Stefan Bondy, a weekly exclusive on Sports+.

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Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Despite his disassociation from the team since 2017, Oakley still uses the word “we” when discussing the Knicks, appreciating the current crop’s old-school style.“I see a lot of energy like when we played, especially the Villanova guys,” Oakley said.“OG [Anunoby], he’s just a different animal.

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