“James Dolan disrespecting Charles Oakley is why I’ll never go to New York”: LeBron James vows to never become a Knick after tension grew between Oakley and Dolan

James Dolan refused to shake Charles Oakley’s hand and this led to LeBron James claiming it’s why he’ll never become a Knick. 

LeBron James was undoubtedly the prized jewel of the 21st century in terms of free agents. His decision to forgo marquee destinations like New York and Chicago sent shockwaves across the NBA as he formed a superteam alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. 

Looking deeper into ‘The Decision’ however, it’s apparent as to why LeBron James will never consider the Knicks as a free agent destination for himself. 

James Dolan took over the team in 1999 and ever since then, has been a model of what not to do when running the most valuable franchise in the NBA. David Stern himself criticized Dolan’s questionable decisions.

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Everything from signing Allan Houston to a 6-year/ $100 million deal when the market wasn’t going over $75 million to hiring Isiah Thomas to run basketball operations, James simply couldn’t make the right choice. 

Being critical of James Dolan was nothing new in the NBA sphere but seems as though Charles Oakley struck a nerve with Dolan when he indulged in the country blues enthusiast’s slander. 

LeBron James told he’d never be a New York Knick because of James Dolan. 

Charles Oakley was undoubtedly one of the toughest guys to have played in the NBA. Many would argue that he was the fuel that ran the Knicks’ physical defense back in the early 1990s. It’s safe to say that Oakley is teetering on the line of Knicks royalty and yet, the owner of the franchise couldn’t even look at him, let alone shake his hand.

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“You would’ve thought I did something to his wife. Sh*t Latrell Sprewell, who played 5 seasons with the Knicks, cursed at Dolan in front of Dolan’s wife when he returned to face the Knicks in 2003 and they still became friends,” write Oakley in his new book ‘The Last Enforcer’. 

“What did I ever say that was so bad that he would ignore me like that? I wondered. Man, I wanted to him in the head. I walked back to LeBron James and said, ‘This motherf**ker wouldn’t shake my hand.’ All LeBron said was, ‘This is why I’m never going to New York.’” 

Charles Oakley would have another run-in with James Dolan in 2017 when the latter had Oakley arrested during a Knicks-Rockets game after he directed a few harsh comments towards the NYK owner.