James Dolan & NYC Mayor Mock Each Other After Charles Oakley Reference at Knicks Parade

Knicks owner James Dolan and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani have been throwing barbs at each other for a while.

James Dolan & NYC Mayor Mock Each Other After Charles Oakley Reference at Knicks Parade

James Dolan, Charles Oakley, and Zohran Mamdani (Image via FirstSportz)

The New York Knicks’ celebration with their fans meant that owner James Dolan would also be present. So would New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has helped prepare for the massive championship parade.

The latter came under criticism from the billionaire for not being able to control violent fans from causing trouble during watch parties around the Madison Square Garden and other parts of New York.

Dolan, being a staunch Republican, has routinely taken barbs at Mamdani and New York Governor Cathy Hochul. It all took a turn for the worse when they started accusing each other of intentionally canceling plans that were already in place.

The youngest mayor in the city’s history in over a century took shots at Dolan for being the one who canceled watch parties that his office had already approved.

This was after the Knicks owner revealed that his organization did not cancel the original watch parties scheduled outside MSG when the President was visiting, rather, it was the Mayor and the Governor.

Now, at the parade, the two were largely apart. Except when they had to sit on the same podium when everyone was to say a few words to the fans. When it was Zohran Mamdani’s turn, he said:

As John Starks dunked on Jordan, and Patrick Ewing dunked on the Pacers… As Charles Oakley pulled every rebound within reach, Spike got in Reggie Miller’s face.

This was the 34-year-old rallying the gathered fans in front of him. But what was evident was the obvious shot at James Dolan with the Charles Oakley reference. The Mayor knew of Oakley and Dolan’s history and used it to throw a barb in front of the world.

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James Dolan claps back at Zohran Mamdani

Throughout the time when Zohran Mamdani was in front of the microphone, James Dolan slumped and looked down towards the floor. The latter knew what the Mayor was doing and waited until it was his turn to speak.

Charles Oakley and his wife watched the Knicks parade from Harlem
Charles Oakley and his wife watched the Knicks parade from Harlem (Image via Dorinda Deadly/X)

I don’t need your vote. I don’t need to quote to you about what happened here, because if you’re real Knick fans, you know it already.

James Dolan said

This was the 71-year-old taking a shot at the city’s top official by suggesting that ‘real’ Knicks fans know what went down between him and Charles Oakley.

Therefore, he did not need Mamdani’s opinion or sarcastic remark to open the conversations again. Rather, he was sure that Knicks fans would be on his side, especially since he had somehow helped the team fulfil their goal of winning the championship.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver recently claimed that he and Michael Jordan had tried to smooth things out between his former teammate, Oakley, and Dolan. But nothing materialized, and the former Knicks star remains banned from Madison Square Garden.

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Zohran Mamdani and James Dolan refuse photo op

These snide remarks may have stopped there, but the demeanor was not going to change. Throughout the time the two talked, the other would look away.

That was different from when others were speaking, as both tried to be as attentive as they could. That ‘cold’ attitude between them came to a point where Zohran Mamdani and James Dolan refused to get in the same frame.

It was when every member of the New York Knicks was being called one by one to receive a ‘key to the city’ from the Mayor. When it was time for the team’s owner, he went ahead, shook Mamdani’s hand, received the key, and did not bother waiting.

Even the Mayor moved on to the next key. It was as if both subtly indicated that they did not enjoy each other’s company and did not want to be in the same photo frame.

The official did the same with Dolan’s son, Quentin Dolan, which left the MSG Sports director surprised for a moment before he walked away with his key. It seems this frosty demeanor will continue until they have some sort of agreement.

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