Charles Oakley To Become Player/Coach In Ice Cube's 3-On-3 League
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- James Dolan might not be thrilled to have Charles Oakley around, but Ice Cube is.
The former Knicks power forward will serve as a player/coach in Ice Cube's new Big3 basketball league, ESPN reported.
The three-on-three league will feature former players including Allen Iverson, Jermaine O'Neal, Rashard Lewis, Jason Williams, Latrell Sprewell and Ricky Davis. Oakley's teammates will be Chauncey Billups and Stephen Jackson.
"Charles Oakley is an NBA legend, who deserves and has earned respect, and will get just that in our league," Ice Cube said.
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Big3 is expectd to begin play in June, although it has not yet released its schedule.
Oakley, 53, and Dolan, the Knicks owner, have been involved in a public back-and-forth since the ex-Knick was forcibly removed from a Knicks game last week, arrested on charges of assaulting security staff and banned from Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks said Oakley was asked to leave after exhibiting "abusive behavior" while sitting a few rows behind Dolan. Oakley insists he said nothing to Dolan before the incident.
After Dolan and Oakley met with NBA commissioner Adam Silver on Monday, the Knicks owner lifted the ban and said he hoped to have Oakley attend a game as his guest.
But Oakley has not been ready to bury the hatchet, saying he first wants a public apology.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated on Thursday, Oakley compared Dolan to Donald Sterling, the former Clippers owner who was recorded in 2014 making racist comments.
Oakley played 19 seasons in the NBA, including 10 with the Knicks. He was an All-Star in 1993-94 when New York reached the NBA Finals.
For his career, the 6-foot-8 Oakley averaged 9.7 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.
