Us News

Former New York Knicks forward Charles Oakley has lawsuit against Madison Square Garden dismissed

Charles Oakley's lawsuit claiming false imprisonment and defamation against Madison Square Garden and James Dolan was dismissed for a third time.

Published August 15, 2026, 5:46 PM
Updated August 15, 2026, 6:13 PM3.8K
Share𝕏f
Former New York Knicks forward Charles Oakley has lawsuit against Madison Square Garden dismissed

Knicks owner jabs Mamdani at city celebration

Knicks owner James Dolan appeared to take a jab at Mayor Zohran Mamdani during the team's championship parade, questioning whether he was a ‘real Knicks fan.’ The remarks came days after the two publicly clashed over championship watch parties.

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Former New York Knicks forward Charles Oakley’s lawsuit against Madison Square Garden and owner James Dolan was dismissed for a third time Friday.

The legal drama between the former Knicks star and Dolan dates back to February 2017, when Oakley was thrown out of MSG following an altercation with arena security guards.

The case was initially tossed in early 2020, then again in 2021 and revived in early 2023 before once again being tossed this week.

MICHAEL JORDAN AND ADAM SILVER BOTH FAILED TO CONVINCE JAMES DOLAN TO END BEEF WITH LEGEND CHARLES OAKLEY

Former New York Knicks player Charles Oakley exchanges words with a security guard during the first half of an NBA basketball game between the New York Knicks and the LA Clippers Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Feb. 8, 2017: Former New York Knicks player Charles Oakley exchanges words with a security guard during the first half of an NBA basketball game between the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Clippers at Madison Square Garden in New York (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

After Oakley's removal from MSG, he was subsequently arrested and although the charges were eventually dropped, Oakley filed suit claiming false imprisonment and defamation, among other claims.

MSG released a statement saying they plan on pursuing legal action against Oakley's lawyer Douglas Windsor and his "unscrupulous law firm," according to the New York Post.

"For more than nine years, Mr. Oakley’s lawyers have pursued claims they knew were false," MSG said in its statement to the Post. "Those claims have now been dismissed by the Court in their entirety — for a third time. We are pursuing legal action against Douglas Wigdor, and his unscrupulous law firm, to hold them accountable for years of frivolous litigation and their blatant abuse of the judicial system."

Charles Oakley is shown before an NBA basketball game between the Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland.

In this Feb. 23, 2017, file photo, former New York Knicks player Charles Oakley is shown before an NBA basketball game between the Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland. A federal judge has dismissed Charles Oakley's lawsuit against executive chairman James Dolan and Madison Square Garden, stemming from the former New York Knicks forward's ejection and arrest from a game three years ago. Judge Richard J. Sullivan ruled Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020 in U.S. District Court in Manhattan that the case "had the feel of a public relations campaign" and Oakley hadn't alleged a plausible legal claim under federal pleading standards. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)

SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS

Oakley's legal team released a statement of its own concerning the dismissal of his lawsuit.

STAY "FEARLESS" ON THE GO! TAKE TOMI LAHREN WITH YOU. DOWNLOAD THE TLIF PODCAST NOW!

"We are disappointed with the Court’s rulings. We believe there are conflicting accounts and only a jury can decide what exactly happened. We are hopeful that the Second Circuit will agree for a third time and remand the case for an immediate jury trial."

The 6'8" Oakley played for the Knicks for more than a decade, helping the team reach the NBA Finals in 1994 and earning All-Star and All-Defensive Team considerations during that same season.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

madison square garden exterior at night

Lights illuminate the exterior of Madison Square Garden on May 8, 2023, in New York City. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

His long-standing public feud with Dolan hasn't stopped Oakley from supporting the team, though, as the former Knicks enforcer attended several road playoff games en route to New York's first NBA Championship in over 50 years.

Austin Perry is a writer for OutKick.

Share𝕏f
News17 is committed to delivering accurate, fair, and thoroughly researched reporting. If you believe this article contains an error, please contact our editorial team at corrections@news17.net. We take all reports seriously and will issue corrections promptly when warranted.