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Former Knicks point guard Chris Childs ripped ex-teammate Latrell Sprewell for being “a pawn’’ in the Charles Oakley saga. Sprewell showed up sitting next to owner James Dolan at the next home game after Oakley was ejected and arrested at the Garden in February, 2017. Sprewell had been estranged from the franchise since being traded …
Former Knicks point guard Chris Childs ripped ex-teammate Latrell Sprewell for being “a pawn’’ in the Charles Oakley saga.
Sprewell showed up sitting next to owner James Dolan at the next home game after Oakley was ejected and arrested at the Garden in February, 2017.
Sprewell had been estranged from the franchise since being traded in 2003, but sat baseline for that Knicks-Spurs game. Dolan sat in the middle flanked by Sprewell and Bernard King.
Appearing on CBS Sports Radio on Sunday, Childs said he’s been turned off by the Knicks since those two incidents.
“It was so disrespectful to not only Oak, but to me as well,’’ said Childs, who played for the Knicks from 1996-2001. “Very much so [I was bothered]. Oak and I talked about it. I’m not sure how I would’ve behaved if I was there. I probably would’ve been arrested as well.”
Childs said he and Oakley are “still good friends.’’
“It seemed none of the guys who played for the Knicks, Patrick [Ewing], I don’t think he spoke on Oak’s behalf,’’ Childs said. “Sprewell showing up when he was away from the team for many years. I knew that was a photo-op but it was really disturbing. It was unfortunate he allowed himself to be a pawn in that situation.’’
In fairness, former Knicks public relations director Jonathan Supranowitz had been working on a reconciliation between Sprewell and Dolan for three years. Of course the timing was no coincidence.
Childs said the Knicks’ fortunes probably won’t change until Dolan sells the team.
“How they treated [Oakley] when they threw him out of the arena affects how I think about management,’’ Childs said.
“Until that changes I don’t think anything positive is going to happen until there’s a change at the top.”
Oakley’s defamation lawsuit against Dolan was thrown out of federal court last month although a confidential mediation hearing was held by phone last week. Meanwhile, Sprewell, who was never teammates with Oakley, has made several alumni appearances for the Knicks since the Oakley incident.
