The New York Knicks are three wins away from capturing the franchise’s first NBA championship since 1973. It’s been 53 years. Following Wednesday’s Game 1 road win at the San Antonio Spurs which saw Knicks fans invade Frost Bank Center in the Alamo City in droves, the belief in and around the Big Apple is this is the year.
As the city and fan base revels in the Knicks success, there’s still some other ugly unfinished business at hand and it involves former Knicks legend and NBA tough guy Charles Oakley. Also known as “Oak,” the former enforcer of those defensive-minded and hard-nosed Knicks teams under the great Pat Riley recently called out teammate and the greatest Knicks player of all time Patrick Ewing.
Oakley Says Big Pat Is A Coward
In a recent interview the outspoken and always ready for smoke Oakley was asked about his current relationship with the aforementioned Ewing and has he tried to help you get reinstated into the Knicks family and Madison Square Garden where he’s been banned since 2017.
“For Patrick not to be man enough to come and talk to me after having his back for 10 years, he’s a coward,”
He added, “No. The last straw was when he was in Cleveland, and he knows I’m from Cleveland; he knew I was at the game, and didn’t speak to me, as many times as he’s been to my mother’s house, he can’t speak to me? No. I’m drawing lines.”
Oakley Questions Ewing’s Leadership
Feud aside Oakley had made the encounter, and while he isn’t questioning Ewing the player, he is questioning Ewing as a leader.
“I mean, I played him for 10 years. He’s just not a good person. I mean, he might make money, did All-Star, Dream Team, but that doesn’t make you a good person,” Oakley continued.
“And everybody’s just saying, well, you ain’t a man because you said he wasn’t leading. He’s not a leader. If you ask 100 players, maybe one guy will say he was a leader. Two people, maybe Mark Jackson and Trent Tucker,” he concluded.
Fans Chime In
“Oak, we love you. But, we will move on. You’re not bigger than the New York Knicks,” a fan said.
“Knicks are trying to accomplish something we didn’t think it was possible in our lifetime. 1994 game 7 still a nightmare for me and others and Oak was part of that team as co-Captain along with Patrick. So Oak is on all time evil tour to stir some old beef that nobody cares about,” another fan said.
“I loved Oakley. But seems like a bitter, jealous prick in his old age. You know he is bad when I side with dbag Dolan,” a fan replied.
“Of course TMZ would have Oak on because Pat don’t need y’all clowns,” another fan quoted.
“Oak has lost the fans with these interviews. Fans aren’t going to tolerate bad talking Ewing,” a fan mentioned.
From the looks of it the relationship between Ewing and Oakley has completely deteriorated over the years. Following the 2017 MSG fight Oakley called out Ewing for not calling to check on him.
RELATED: Charles Oakley Incident Reflects Ineptitude of Knicks Franchise
Then in 2019 he told any and every one that would listen that Ewing wasn’t the right person for the vacant head coach position at the time. Despite things like that he feels Ewing should do him a solid. Knicks are close to doing the unthinkable and right now Oakley isn’t worth the time or headache.
