By: Alyssa Wilson

Patrick Ewing, a former New York Knicks player and NBA Hall of Famer, said he was ‘accosted’ by security at Madison Square Garden Thursday. 

According to the Huffington Post, the Georgetown University basketball coach said staff at the facility repeatedly stopped him when his team arrived for the Big East tournament. 

“I do want to say one thing, though. I thought this was my building,” he said during a post-game interview. “And I feel terrible that I’m getting stopped, accosted, [people] asking for passes.”

“Everybody in this building should know who the hell I am.”

Patrick Ewing was pissed about being stopped by security at MSG

(via @NBC4Sports)pic.twitter.com/OhhCDdi9C1

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 11, 2021

The NBA legend played at Madison Square Garden for 15 years and his jersey hangs from the ceiling. 

MSG Entertainment released a statement to ESPN about the incident, saying: 

[James Dolan] and Patrick have a long-standing relationship; they spoke this afternoon and reaffirmed that. We all know, respect and appreciate what he means to The Garden and New York. Good luck to him and his Hoyas in the Big East semi-finals.

This is not the first time stadium security has been the center of controversy. 

In 2017, Knicks legend Charles Oakley was removed from a game and arrested after having an altercation with building security. After the incident, Madison Square Garden owner James Dolan fired the top security chief. 

In March 2020, director and Knicks superfan Spike Lee said he would not attend any more games at the facility after a negative encounter with security. 

BNC Start Your Day hosts Sharon Reed and Mike Hill weighed in on the situation. 

Patrick Ewing, now the coach of Georgetown, said Madison Square Garden staff have repeatedly accosted him and stopped him since he arrived with his team for the Big East Tournament. Start Your Day Hosts Sharon Reed + Mike Hill weigh in on the shocking treatment. pic.twitter.com/Yd4WJ4liDn

— BNC (@BNCNews) March 12, 2021