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When all the drama was going on with Charles Oakley and Madison Square Garden security on Wednesday night, Phil Jackson saw the situation escalating and called the only person he could think of, Michael Jordan. MJ and Oakley remain close friends to this day and Phil hoped some words from the GOAT might help calm Oakley down. Only problem was that Phil made the phone call too little, too late.

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Via Pro Basketball Talk, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith revealed what happened.

“Phil and others felt he was completely out of control. My sources told me he picked up the phone. He called Michael Jordan, because if there’s one person in the world who can get through to Charles Oakley and calm him down, it is Michael Jordan.”

The idea was good on the surface and may have worked if security wasn’t already bent on being aggressive towards Oakley.

“But Michael Jordan, from what I’m told, was unable to reach Charles Oakley because, by that time, Charles Oakley had been arrested and removed from the Garden and had his cell phone confiscated at the time,” Smith said. “So, he couldn’t be reached.”

Oakley maintains his innocence in the matter, claiming he did nothing that the team is saying he did. Multiple fans in the area have said Oakley was talking but he was doing so in a way that any other fan would do and never made a comment towards owner, James Dolan. He was only in his seat for less than five minutes before he was approached, so really what could he have done within a few minutes, especially considering he paid good money for his seat.

H/t Complex