.jpg) Oakley in 2007 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1963-12-18)December 18, 1963 (age 61) Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 245 lb (111 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | John Hay (Cleveland, Ohio) |
| College | Virginia Union (1981–1985) |
| NBA draft | 1985: 1st round, 9th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| Playing career | 1985–2004 |
| Position | Power forward |
| Number | 34, 33 |
| Coaching career | 2010–2011 |
| Career history | |
| As a player: | |
| 1985–1988 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1988–1998 | New York Knicks |
| 1998–2001 | Toronto Raptors |
| 2001–2002 | Chicago Bulls |
| 2002–2003 | Washington Wizards |
| 2004 | Houston Rockets |
| As a coach: | |
| 2010–2011 | Charlotte Bobcats (assistant) |
| Career highlights | |
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 12,417 (9.7 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 12,205 (9.5 rpg) |
| Assists | 3,217 (2.5 apg) |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Charles Oakley (born December 18, 1963) is an American former professionalbasketball player. Oakley is best known for playing 10 of his 19 seasons in theNational Basketball Association with theNew York Knicks. As apower forward, he consistently ranked as one of the best rebounders and defensive players in the NBA. He also played for theChicago Bulls,Toronto Raptors,Washington Wizards, andHouston Rockets. Since 2017, he has been the coach of theKiller 3's of theBIG3.[1]
Charles Oakley was born December 18, 1963, inCleveland, Ohio, where he was raised. Oakley attendedJohn Hay High School, where he excelled in basketball.[citation needed]
Oakley attendedVirginia Union University, aDivision IIhistorically black university inRichmond, Virginia.[2][3] 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.[2]
Oakley was drafted with the 9th overall pick in the1985 NBA draft by theCleveland Cavaliers, but his draft rights were traded to theChicago Bulls, alongsideCalvin Duncan, forEnnis Whatley andKeith Lee. Oakley provided another scoring option and steady offensive and defensive performances to an up-and-coming Bulls squad led byMichael Jordan. On March 15, 1986, Oakley set a career high in points scored with 35, during a 125–116 loss to theMilwaukee Bucks.[4] Oakley was selected as a part of theNBA All-Rookie First Team in1986.[5]
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.[6][7] On April 26, 1987, Oakley set a postseason career high with 25 points scored, alongside grabbing 15 rebounds, in a loss to theBoston Celtics.[8]
With the drafting and development ofHorace Grant, the Bulls traded Oakley to theNew York Knicks for 7'1"centerBill Cartwright.[9] Oakley eventually became a part of the core which the Knicks built around, which also featuredPatrick Ewing,John Starks,Anthony Mason andpoint guardMark 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 theIndiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.[10] The Knicks eventually won that series. The following round, during that year'sNBA Finals, Oakley averaged 11 points and 11.9 rebounds per game in a tightly contested seven-game series loss to theHouston Rockets.[11]
Charles Oakley was one of the greats. On March 11, 1998, Oakley grabbed a season high 22 rebounds in a loss against former teammateAnthony Mason and theCharlotte Hornets.[12] 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.[13]
In 1998, Oakley was traded by New York to theToronto Raptors, alongsideSean Marks, for blossoming starMarcus Camby.[14] For the Raptors, he provided a veteran presence to a young team that includedVince Carter andTracy McGrady. On January 7, 2001, Oakley set a career high with 6 blocks, and also narrowly missed atriple-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists.[15]
In 2001, Oakley was traded by theToronto Raptors with a 2002 2nd-round pick to theChicago Bulls forBrian 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.[3]
In 2002, Oakley signed as a free agent with theWashington Wizards, where he was reunited with former teammateMichael Jordan. Oakley played 42 games during the2002–03 season, averaging 1.8 points per game, 2.5 rebounds per game, and 1 assist per game.[3]
The2003–04 season was Oakley's last season. On March 18, 2004, Oakley signed the first of two 10-day contracts with theHouston 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.[3] 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. He claimedDallas,Miami, Cleveland and New York were interested, but said he would "not [come] back cheap".[16]
On December 26, 2010, Oakley was hired as an assistant coach for theCharlotte Bobcats under then-head coachPaul Silas.[17]
He left that position on December 1, 2011, after experiencing health issues with back pain, during the 2010–11 season.[18]
Oakley owns several commercial enterprises, including:
Oakley was inducted into theVirginia Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in honor of his 19-year professional basketball career. The induction ceremony was held on April 30, 2016.[24]
In September 2016, a portion of Deering Street in Oakley's hometown of Cleveland (near his alma mater ofJohn Hay High School) was renamed Charles Oakley Way in his honor.[25]
He was inducted into the CIAA Hall of Fame in 2005 after his career at Virginia Union University.
Back in 2011, Oakley filed a lawsuit against theAria Resort and Casino inLas Vegas, alleging a group assault by five security guards employed by the casino on May 28, 2010.[28]
On July 30, 2016, Oakley married his wife Angela Reed.[29] In 2025, the Oakleys made their debut onThe Real Housewives of Atlanta during itssixteenth season.
On February 8, 2017, Oakley was involved in an altercation at Madison Square Garden as the Knicks faced the visitingLos Angeles Clippers. According to the Knicks, Oakley was ejected from the arena after he is alleged to have yelled atJames L. Dolan, the Executive Chairman ofMadison Square Garden andMSG Networks, and refused to stop, an allegation he denies.[30] There were also accounts of him hitting a security guard in his face and shoving another guard before being dragged away from the game and handcuffed. He was charged with three counts of misdemeanor assault and criminal trespassing. In a statement, the Knicks stated that Oakley "came to the game tonight and behaved in a highly inappropriate and completely abusive manner. He was ejected and was then arrested by the New York City Police Department."[31]
In response, Oakley claimed that he sat down in his seat and he saw the Knicks owner James Dolan look at him and within four minutes he was being asked to leave the arena. He says that he didn't become combative until he was asked to leave for no apparent reason.[32] While admitting "I shouldn't have put my hands on anyone," Oakley disputed the Knicks' rendition of events in an interview withESPN'sThe Undefeated, which reported that Oakley says he "never said a word to Dolan" and "was minding his own business when he was confronted by Madison Square Garden Security, who asked why he was sitting so close to Dolan before demanding that he leave the building."[33]
On February 13, 2017, NBA legendMichael Jordan and NBA commissionerAdam Silver met with both Dolan and Oakley at NBA headquarters. Oakley and Dolan both apologized for the fallout and both were currently negotiating a truce. "Both Mr. Oakley and Mr. Dolan were apologetic about the incident and subsequent comments, and their negative impact on the Knicks organization and the NBA," Silver said. The statement says Dolan hopes Oakley can return to MSG as his guest in the near future. On February 14, 2017, the ban from Madison Square Garden was lifted.[34] On September 12, 2017, it was reported that Oakley was filing a civil lawsuit over the incident.[35] As of February 2022, the suit was still in litigation, according to Oakley.[36]
Oakley later retorted on March 11, 2019, that Dolan is someone who tries to bully everyone because he has money and power as an owner of the Knicks, quoting that "it doesn't make sense."[37] He also admits he has very little reason to hold any reconciliation with Dolan, noting his relationship with the Knicks was frayed before the incident occurred (though he still bought himself tickets for Knicks games a few times each season before the incident), while also saying nothing was really resolved from his meeting with Adam Silver. Oakley further notes the incident caused a damaged relationship with the team, to the point where the possibility of his jersey being retired was in jeopardy. This all came out after Dolan threatened to ban a fan from the arena for yelling at him to "sell the team" a few days prior.[38]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| * | Led the league |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985–86 | Chicago | 77 | 30 | 23.0 | .519 | .000 | .662 | 8.6 | 1.7 | .9 | .4 | 9.6 |
| 1986–87 | Chicago | 82 | 81 | 36.3 | .445 | .367 | .686 | 13.1 | 3.6 | 1.0 | .4 | 14.5 |
| 1987–88 | Chicago | 82 | 82 | 34.3 | .483 | .250 | .727 | 13.0 | 3.0 | .8 | .3 | 12.4 |
| 1988–89 | New York | 82 | 82 | 31.8 | .510 | .250 | .773 | 10.5 | 2.3 | 1.3 | .2 | 12.9 |
| 1989–90 | New York | 61 | 61 | 36.0 | .524 | .000 | .761 | 11.9 | 2.4 | 1.0 | .3 | 14.6 |
| 1990–91 | New York | 76 | 74 | 36.0 | .516 | .000 | .784 | 12.1 | 2.7 | .8 | .2 | 11.2 |
| 1991–92 | New York | 82 | 82 | 28.2 | .522 | .000 | .735 | 8.5 | 1.6 | .8 | .2 | 6.2 |
| 1992–93 | New York | 82 | 82 | 27.2 | .508 | .000 | .722 | 8.6 | 1.5 | 1.0 | .2 | 6.9 |
| 1993–94 | New York | 82 | 82 | 35.8 | .478 | .000 | .776 | 11.8 | 2.7 | 1.3 | .2 | 11.8 |
| 1994–95 | New York | 50 | 49 | 31.3 | .489 | .250 | .793 | 8.9 | 2.5 | 1.2 | .1 | 10.1 |
| 1995–96 | New York | 53 | 51 | 33.5 | .471 | .269 | .833 | 8.7 | 2.6 | 1.1 | .3 | 11.4 |
| 1996–97 | New York | 80 | 80 | 35.9 | .488 | .263 | .808 | 9.8 | 2.8 | 1.4 | .3 | 10.8 |
| 1997–98 | New York | 79 | 79 | 34.6 | .440 | .000 | .851 | 9.2 | 2.5 | 1.6 | .3 | 9.0 |
| 1998–99 | Toronto | 50* | 50* | 32.9 | .428 | .200 | .807 | 7.5 | 3.4 | .9 | .4 | 7.0 |
| 1999–00 | Toronto | 80 | 80 | 30.4 | .418 | .341 | .776 | 6.8 | 3.2 | 1.3 | .6 | 6.9 |
| 2000–01 | Toronto | 78 | 77 | 35.5 | .388 | .224 | .836 | 9.5 | 3.4 | 1.0 | .6 | 9.6 |
| 2001–02 | Chicago | 57 | 26 | 24.3 | .369 | .167 | .750 | 6.0 | 2.0 | .9 | .2 | 3.8 |
| 2002–03 | Washington | 42 | 1 | 12.2 | .418 | – | .824 | 2.5 | 1.0 | .3 | .1 | 1.8 |
| 2003–04 | Houston | 7 | 0 | 3.6 | .333 | – | .833 | .7 | .3 | .0 | .0 | 1.3 |
| Career | 1,282 | 1,159 | 31.4 | .471 | .253 | .761 | 9.5 | 2.5 | 1.1 | .3 | 9.7 | |
| All-Star | 1 | 0 | 11.0 | .333 | – | – | 3.0 | 3.0 | .0 | .0 | 2.0 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Chicago | 3 | – | 29.3 | .524 | – | .615 | 10.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | .7 | 10.0 |
| 1987 | Chicago | 3 | – | 43.0 | .380 | .500 | .833 | 15.3 | 2.0 | 1.3 | .3 | 20.0 |
| 1988 | Chicago | 10 | – | 37.3 | .440 | .000 | .875 | 12.8 | 3.2 | .6 | .4 | 10.1 |
| 1989 | New York | 9 | – | 33.2 | .479 | .500 | .667 | 11.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | .1 | 9.7 |
| 1990 | New York | 10 | – | 33.6 | .512 | 1.000 | .654 | 11.0 | 2.7 | 1.1 | .2 | 12.1 |
| 1991 | New York | 3 | 3 | 33.3 | .476 | – | .500 | 10.3 | 1.0 | .7 | .3 | 7.7 |
| 1992 | New York | 12 | 12 | 29.5 | .379 | – | .741 | 9.0 | .7 | .7 | .4 | 5.3 |
| 1993 | New York | 15 | 15 | 33.8 | .481 | – | .727 | 11.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | .1 | 11.1 |
| 1994 | New York | 25 | 25 | 39.7 | .477 | – | .775 | 11.7 | 2.4 | 1.4 | .2 | 13.2 |
| 1995 | New York | 11 | 11 | 38.3 | .450 | .400 | .824 | 8.5 | 3.7 | 1.7 | .5 | 13.1 |
| 1996 | New York | 8 | 8 | 38.5 | .500 | .333 | .694 | 8.6 | 1.8 | 1.0 | .0 | 13.1 |
| 1997 | New York | 10 | 10 | 35.8 | .442 | .000 | .759 | 8.8 | 1.6 | 2.2 | .3 | 9.8 |
| 1998 | New York | 10 | 10 | 34.2 | .408 | – | .920 | 8.5 | 1.4 | 1.1 | .2 | 8.1 |
| 2000 | Toronto | 3 | 3 | 36.7 | .483 | .286 | .000 | 7.7 | 3.7 | 2.0 | .3 | 10.0 |
| 2001 | Toronto | 12 | 12 | 32.6 | .435 | .375 | .824 | 6.3 | 1.8 | 1.0 | .6 | 9.3 |
| Career | 144 | – | 35.5 | .459 | .366 | .755 | 10.0 | 2.0 | 1.2 | .3 | 10.8 | |
and Basketball Reference| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
