Charles Oakley

Charles Oakley (born December 18, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player.

Oakley played most of 19 seasons in the National Basketball Association with the New York Knicks.

As a power forward, he consistently ranked as one of the best rebounders and defensive players in the NBA.

He also played for the Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, and Houston Rockets.

Charles Oakley was born December 18, 1963, in Cleveland, Ohio, where he was raised.

Oakley attended John Hay High School, where he excelled in basketball.

Oakley attended Virginia Union University, a Division II historically black university in Richmond, Virginia.

As a senior in 1984–85, Oakley led Virginia Union to the 1985 NCAA championship.

The Panthers had a 31–1 overall record that year, with Oakley averaging 24 points and 17.3 rebounds a game.

Oakley was named the NCAA Division II Player of the Year.

He scored 2,379 points and grabbed 1,642 rebounds in his college career.

Oakley was drafted with the 9th overall pick in the 1985 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, but his draft rights were traded to the Chicago Bulls, alongside Calvin Duncan, for Ennis Whatley and Keith Lee.

Oakley provided another scoring option and steady offensive and defensive performances to an up-and-coming Bulls squad led by Michael Jordan.

On March 15, 1986, Oakley set a career high in points scored with 35, during a 125–116 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Oakley was selected as a part of the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1986.

Oakley also assumed the role of the team "enforcer", whose duty primarily was to protect young Jordan against cheap shots and roughhousing tactics of opposing players.

He was given the nickname, "Oak Tree", for his rugged demeanor and no-nonsense attitude.

On April 26, 1987, Oakley set a postseason career high with 25 points scored, alongside grabbing 15 rebounds, in a loss to the Boston Celtics.

With the drafting and development of Horace Grant, the Bulls traded Oakley to the New York Knicks for 7'1" center Bill Cartwright. Oakley eventually became a part of the core which the Knicks built around, which also featured Patrick Ewing, John Starks, Anthony Mason and point guard Mark Jackson.

During the Knicks' 1994 season, which included a record 25 playoff games, Oakley started every regular season and playoff game for a record 107 starts in a single season.

On June 1, 1994, Oakley scored 12 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and recorded 7 assists in a Game 5 loss to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Knicks eventually won that series.

The following round, during that year's NBA Finals, Oakley averaged 11 points and 11.9 rebounds per game in a tightly contested seven-game series loss to the Houston Rockets.

On March 11, 1998, Oakley grabbed a season high 22 rebounds in a loss against former teammate Anthony Mason and the Charlotte Hornets.

Despite regular season success and consistent playoffs appearances, the Knicks did not return to the Finals again during Oakley's tenure.

During his time with the Knicks, Oakley was known across the league for being a defensive specialist and outstanding rebounder.

In 1998, Oakley was traded by New York to the Toronto Raptors, alongside Sean Marks, for blossoming star Marcus Camby.

For the Raptors, he provided a veteran presence to a young team that included Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady.

On January 7, 2001, Oakley set a career high with 6 blocks, and also narrowly missed a triple-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists.

In 2001, Oakley was traded by the Toronto Raptors with a 2002 2nd-round pick to the Chicago Bulls for Brian Skinner.

This was his second tenure with the Bulls.

Starting 36 of his 57 played games, he averaged 3.8 points per game, 6 rebounds per game, and 2 assists per game.

In 2002, Oakley signed as a free agent with the Washington Wizards, where he was reunited with former teammate Michael Jordan.

Oakley played 42 games during the 2002–03 season, averaging 1.8 points per game, 2.5 rebounds per game, and 1 assist per game.

The 2003–04 season was Oakley's last season.

On March 18, 2004, Oakley signed the first of two 10-day contracts with the Houston Rockets.

Oakley played only 7 games, in which he averaged 1.3 points per game, 0.7 rebounds per game, and 0.3 assists per game.

At the end of the season, Oakley retired from the NBA.

In 2007 Oakley was reported to be attempting an NBA comeback, at age 44.

Since 2017, he has been the coach of the Killer 3's of the BIG3.