Shaquille O’Neal is no stranger to longstanding feuds. With the NBA Finals shifting to Madison Square Garden this week, the legendary big man included himself in a beef between former Knicks enforcer Charles Oakley and owner James Dolan.
On Saturday, Shaq reshared an Instagram story calling for Oakley to be brought back to Madison Square Garden to watch the 2026 NBA Finals live.
“The Finals cannot begin without Charles Oakley in the building. Bring him back to the Garden,” the IG story read.
Back in 2017, Oakley was banned from Madison Square Garden after he was involved in an altercation near Dolan during a game. Oakley was seen shoving a security guard, which led to him being charged with assault and trespassing.
Dolan has since lifted the ban, but Oakley has refused invitations to attend Knicks games at MSG. Back in 2024, he claimed he’d received an invitation to the arena, only for MSG management to dispute the claim.
Ironically, O’Neal himself has a history with Oakley. On the court, the two big men have fought hard against each other in the shaded lane on multiple occasions.
Oakley also told a story last year about Michael Jordan stepping between him and Shaq in a New York hotel. In an appearance on “The Art of Dialogue” podcast, Oakley claimed that he’d decided to confront O’Neal for being “disrespectful.”
Nevertheless, O’Neal went out of his way to call for Oakley to join the live crowd for Game 3. An appearance by the former Knick on Monday would be a huge surprise indeed.
“Don’t Say Things Are Blurry”: Shaquille O’Neal Calls Out Victor Wembanyama for Post-Game Comments Following Game 2
Shaquille O’Neal called out Victor Wembanyama for comments he made after Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
Hearing Wembanyama say things were “blurry” as he made blunders in the clutch irked Shaq.
“As the leader, you should probably say, ‘It’s on me.’ But don’t say things are blurry. If I’m anybody on the New York Knicks, I’m coming at his head,” O’Neal said on “Inside the NBA.”
Wembanyama threw a pass that was not within Stephon Castle’s line of sight in the dying seconds of Game 2. He then fouled Jalen Brunson and sent him to the free-throw line. Brunson made one of two free throws to give the Knicks a one-point lead. Wembanyama then missed the game-winning jumper.
The MVP finalist will have to rally the troops in the Spurs locker room when the series shifts to New York for Game 3.
READ MORE: Knicks Announce “Enhanced Security Measures” for Game 3 in MSG With President Trump in Attendance
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