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After collecting a paycheck from James Dolan and the New York Knicks for roughly 10 years, Charles Oakley must pay them back.
A federal judge ruled that Oakley owes the Madison Square Garden Company around $642,000 in attorney fees stemming from an ongoing lawsuit between the two sides.
The legal issues stemmed from Oakley’s highly publicized ejection from a Knicks game in early 2017, when he hit a security official near owner James Dolan’s courtside seat.
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Retired NBA star Charles Oakley attends the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on Dec. 30, 2022, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
“Charles Oakley came to the game tonight and behaved in a highly inappropriate and completely abusive manner,” the Knicks said in a statement at the time. “He has been ejected and is currently being arrested by the New York City Police Department. He was a great Knick, and we hope he gets some help soon.”
The team claims Oakley was yelling continuously at Dolan, but Oakley has denied that and said he was asked to leave the arena shortly after taking his seat at the game for no reason. He has not been back to Madison Square Garden since, despite the team’s recent resurrection.
Attorneys for MSG attempted to get Oakley’s deleted texts, resulting in the fees.
“The court denied most of MSG’s wildly inflated fee request,” Oakley’s attorney, Valdi Licul, said in a statement to Front Office Sports. “Nevertheless, we disagree that MSG is entitled to any recovery and will promptly seek to appeal.”
Former NBA player Charles Oakley sits courtside prior to the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks at Quicken Loans Arena on Feb. 15, 2017, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
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Last year, Oakley said Dolan’s lawyers invited him to a game, but he declined.
“They’ve got to apologize,” he said to The Associated Press. “We’ll go from there. Can (Dolan) be man enough to say mistakes happen, and he made one?”
“Just be honest,” Oakley added. “Just be transparent over what you put someone through and how you changed their life. This definitely changed my life. My daughter Googled me, they show them pulling me out of the Garden, that’s bad. That’s hell for a kid to see that.”
Oakley is seeking damages for assault, battery, and damage to his reputation after Dolan hinted that the former NBA player had a substance abuse problem.
James L. Dolan attends the 5th Annual Little Steven’s Policeman’s Ball at Mandarin Oriental New York on Dec. 20, 2019 in New York City. ( Bobby Bank/Getty Images)
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“He’s both physically and verbally abusive. He may have a problem with alcohol; we don’t know, right?” Dolan said at the time.
The Knicks are among the favorites to win the NBA Finals for the first time since 1973.
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