There may be somebody for everybody.
Invoice Bradley and Walt Frazier come to Madison Sq. Backyard, representing the Knicks’ golden age. Bernard King is a fixture within the crowd, the apex of particular person brilliance.
Patrick Ewing pumps up followers 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 present Knicks like the youngsters introduced up in Brooklyn.
Charles Oakley watches on TV, other than the alumni collaborating within the staff’s greatest playoff run in 25 years.
Eight-plus years faraway from Oakley’s notorious ejection from the Backyard — following a 2017 altercation with area safety guards — some of the widespread gamers in franchise historical past doesn’t really feel welcome inside his former residence.
He was initially banned by proprietor James Dolan after the 2017 incident.
Although Oakley is not banned, he chooses to not go to.
“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 mentioned on the nineteenth 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.”
Regardless of his disassociation from the staff since 2017, Oakley nonetheless makes use of the phrase “we” when discussing the Knicks, appreciating the present crop’s old-school fashion.
“I see a lot of energy like when we played, especially the Villanova guys,” Oakley mentioned. “OG [Anunoby], he’s only a completely different animal. [Mikal] Bridges is clean, and [Jalen] Brunson, he’s not terrified of the second.
“They’re competing every night and they’re sharing the ball. When it gets tough, they get tougher. They know their roles. And that’s the key. Know your role.”
