Charles Oakley: LeBron James Said James Dolan Is Why He'll 'Never' Play for Knicks

New York Knicks governor James Dolan is the reason LeBron James never signed with the team. At least that's how Charles Oakley tells it in his new book, The Last Enforcer.

In the book (h/t Brad Botkin of CBS Sports), Oakley discussed a moment during the 2014 NBA All-Star Weekend when he was with LeBron and agent Rich Paul before being introduced to Dolan for the first time. Dolan allegedly refused to shake Oakley's hand and didn't even look up at the longtime Knicks player.

"You would have thought I did something to his wife," Oakley wrote in the book.

"I walked back to LeBron and said, 'This mother--ker (Dolan) wouldn't shake my hand,'" Oakley added. "All LeBron said was: 'This is why I'm never going to New York.'"

The feud between Dolan and Oakley escalated in later years, with the 19-year NBA veteran taken out of Madison Square Garden by security in 2017. Oakley played for the Knicks from 1988 to 1998.

LeBron, meanwhile, seemingly considered the Knicks as a destination in free agency in 2010 before ultimately signing with the Miami Heat. The superstar met with the team that summer, while Dolan took part in the free-agent meetings and reportedly handed out copies of his own CD. 

Bill Simmons later reported (h/t Dan Feldman of Yahoo Sports) that the Knicks were James' first choice at the time, but the meeting with the Knicks was a "disaster."  

The Knicks have had other chances to land LeBron over the years when he was a free agent, including in 2014 when he instead returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers. In 2018, he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Oakley also recently predicted in an interview for SiriusXM NBA Radio that James will leave the Lakers at some point to win another championship before he retires. Even if he does become a free agent again, Knicks fans shouldn't hold their breath.