12.) PF Charles Oakley
When the Knicks were perennial contenders during the 1990’s, they played a rough and tough style that would throw opponents off their game. No one epitomized that style of play more than Charles Oakley. The Knicks acquired Oakley before the NBA Draft in 1988 and brought his rebounding and toughness with him from Chicago to New York.
Oakley quickly cemented himself as a premier rebounder when he led the NBA in defensive rebounds and total rebounds his second and third seasons before being traded to the Knicks. With the Knicks, that production continued as the enforcer next to Patrick Ewing at power forward.
With the Knicks, Oakley averaged 10.4 points, ten rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He received almost all of his career accolades in his ten seasons with the Knicks as well, making his lone All-Star game in 1994 and being named to the All-NBA First Team Defense that season as well. He made All-NBA Second Team Defense in his final season with the Knicks for the 1997-98 season. He also has the Knicks’ franchise record for offensive rebounds in a season with 394 during the 1993-94 season.
Oakley is sixth in career games as a Knick, third in minutes played and near the top in all rebounding categories for the franchise as well, ranking first in offensive rebounds, second in defensive and third in total rebounds. To the surprise of no one, he is also second in franchise history in fouls.
Oakley is one of the best rebounders that the NBA has ever seen, as he ranks 22nd in overall rebounds, 15th in defensive and 10th in offensive rebounding. Oakley was a perfect fit for the Knicks at the time and brought a brand of basketball that we no longer see in the NBA today.
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