May 18, 1997; Miami, FL; USA; FILE PHOTO; New York Knicks center Patrick Ewing (33) reacts on the court against the Miami Heat during the the first round of the 1997 NBA Playoffs at the Miami Arena. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-Imagn Images RVR Photos-Imagn Images

NBA Great Viciously Calls Out Knicks Legend Patrick Ewing During Pacers Series

Originally posted on Back in the Day NBA on SI
By Shandel Richardson | Last updated May 30, 2025 11:03 AM ET

Ex-New York Knicks player Charles Oakley was infamously kicked out of a game at Madison Square Garden in 2017.

The incident led to him being less part of the organization. The ban he initially received has since been lifted. While many former Knicks have attended the Eastern Conference finals against the Indiana Pacers, Oakley still has been absent from the seats.

Oakley addressed it with former NBA player Jim Jackson.

"Well, to be with the family, the family's got to love you," Oakley said. "And that start with mom and pops. The love is not there. What happened could've been love. It needs to be addressed. Everybody should be paying attention because he's [Knicks owner James Dolan] not playing fair."

Oakley feels some former teammates should have defended him, mainly Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing.

"He didn't step up," Oakley said. "I hold him more responsible more than anybody else because he was supposed to be our franchise player. I played with him for 10 years. If I'm your road dog, you're A and I'm B, you gotta speak up for me."

Oakley has yet to hear from Ewing since the incident, making it more disappointing.

"He should've called me and talked to me like a man when this happened," Oakley said. "Never done that. I had Reggie Miller, Brad Daugherty, all the other guys I went to war with, they spoke up."

This article first appeared on Back in the Day NBA on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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