Charles Oakley is out, but Latrell Sprewell is back in.
Sprewell had not been welcome back at Madison Square Garden after cursing at Knicks owner James Dolan during a game in 2003. The popular former Knick wasn't only back in the building Sunday, but he sat right next to Dolan four days after Oakley, another beloved former player, was physically removed from his seat, arrested and ultimately banned from the Garden.
"I can't tell you why I haven't been back here, but I'll tell you when I left, I was not happy," Sprewell said in an interview with ABC. "I'm just happy to be back now."
The Knicks traded Sprewell to Minnesota in 2003. In his first game back on Dec. 23, 2003, Sprewell hurled expletives at Dolan and was fined $25,000 by the NBA.
But Sprewell was given the red-carpet treatment Sunday. He received a video tribute on the giant video board above the floor, and then had the camera on him so he could wave to the crowd. He hadn't played at the Garden since Dec. 29, 2004, early in his final NBA season.
There were several former Knicks sitting near Sprewell and Dolan, including Oakley's former teammate and team employee Larry Johnson, Bernard King and Vin Baker. Other alumni at the game included Herb Williams, another of Oakley's former teammates and a current Knicks employee, Kenny Walker, Gerald Wilkins, John Wallace and Hall of Famer Bill Bradley. Each was shown individually on the Jumbotron.
Oakley has had a long-running feud with Dolan. During an interview Friday with "The Michael Kay Show" on ESPN Radio, Dolan said Oakley was ejected Wednesday for being verbally abusive. Many current and former NBA players have spoken out in support of Oakley.
Longtime Knicks fan Spike Lee was in his usual seat Sunday, wearing an Oakley No. 34 jersey.
Sprewell never played with Oakley, but he called it an "unfortunate situation."
"Obviously, it's a disappointing thing," Sprewell said. "No one wants to see anything like that. Not just for New York, but for the NBA family. Hopefully, it will be something that everybody can just somehow iron out and get past."
