Likens Dolan to ex-Clippers owner.
NEW YORK (AFP) – Charles Oakley ramped up his public war of words with New York Knicks boss James Dolan on Thursday, comparing the tycoon to disgraced former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling.
Oakley and Knicks owner Dolan have been at loggerheads since last week, when the former NBA star was frogmarched from Madison Square Garden following a widely publicized altercation with security staff.
Dolan later banned Knicks legend Oakley from attending future games at the venue, only to ease the restriction after a meeting brokered by NBA commissioner Adam Silver on Monday.
However, Oakley, 53, indicated he was in no mood to let up on the feud after comparing Dolan to Sterling, who was forced to sell the Clippers in 2014 after he was caught making racist comments on tape.
“He’s on the same level,” Oakley told Sports Illustrated’s Crossover basketball website when asked if Dolan reminded him of Sterling.
“He’s definitely a control freak. He has everybody in the Garden on pins and needles. The other owners know this, that’s the bad thing about it.
“This is going to end up like what happened with the LA Clippers. It’s that bad. But they won’t talk about it. It’s that bad.”
On Wednesday, Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green accused Dolan of having a “slave master mentality” over his handling of the incident.
“(Oakley) is a legend. Treat him as such,” Green said on his “Dray Day” podcast for the Uninterrupted website.
Dolan also drew Green’s ire for remarks which suggested Oakley was battling alcohol problems – hotly denied by the ex-Knicks forward.
“That’s not something that you say to the world. That’s not classy at all,” Green said.