Former NBA forward Charles Oakley was arrested Sunday after he was caught on camera allegedly cheating at the Cosmopolitan, a Las Vegas casino. Oakley could face one to six years in prison if convicted.
"Officials from the Nevada Gaming Board tell us Oakley 'was suspected of adding to or reducing his wager on a gambling game after the outcome was known,'" TMZ reports. "Unclear what game he was playing at the time—but one source with knowledge of the incident says Oak tried to pull back a $100 chip after he realized he was going to lose."
A person close to the 54-year-old told TMZ it was an "insignificant matter." After security confronted him, Oakley was taken into custody around 5:30 p.m.
Oakley currently serves as a head coach in Ice Cube's three-on-three league, BIG3. He leads the Killer Threes.
The No. 9 overall pick in 1985 out of Virginia Union, Oakley spent 19 years in the NBA. He's most well known for his runs with the Chicago Bulls (1985-88), New York Knicks (1988-98), and Toronto Raptors (1999-2001). He was an All-Star with the Knicks in 1994, the same year he made the league's All-Defense First Team.
He's noted as one of the league's all-time great enforcers. Though his numbers dipped as he aged, he still managed to average 9.5 rebounds per game for his career.
Oakley is also very close to his former teammate Michael Jordan. He recently gave a fascinating interview to Bill Simmons at the NBA Finals.
